Why do ordinary people slip into cruel or submissive roles the moment power is handed out? In this episode of Circuit Breaker: Rewiring Your Decisions, we examine the Stanford Prison Experiment — the infamous study that revealed just how quickly authority, environment, and assigned roles can transform behaviour. From guards who escalated into aggression to prisoners who internalised obedience and distress, we explore how the situation—not personality—can push people into extremes they never imagined.Discover what this experiment teaches us about the power of context, how easily we can lose ourselves in the roles we’re given, and how to stay grounded when a situation starts shaping you more than you realise.Studies and links:Stanford Magazine article recounting the Stanford Prison Experiment The Menace Within | STANFORD magazineSimply Psychology summary of the Stanford Prison Experiment Stanford Prison Experiment

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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