Netflix has reportedly commissioned a reality series titled The New Stanford Prison Experiment, based on the controversial 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment. The series is expected to premiere on October 21 and will consist of six 45-minute episodes.
According to an official synopsis, the series will feature 30 participants randomly assigned as guards or prisoners in a real prison setting. The show aims to explore whether individuals conform to assigned roles or if empathy and individuality can prevail.
The news has prompted online debate, with many reacting in disbelief on X. The original 1971 experiment, which involved college-aged men, was abandoned after just six days due to psychological abuse by those playing guards and emotional distress among those playing prisoners.
The 1971 study, led by Dr. Philip Zimbardo, is now used in psychology classes to examine the ethics of psychological research with human subjects. Zimbardo stated in 2016 that such research, causing undue stress to participants, could no longer be conducted.