ABSTRACT
The Stanford Prison Experiment was designed to investigate how easily people would conform to the roles of guard and prisoner in a role-playing exercise that simulated prison life. Since the Stanford Prison Experiment, we have learned a lot about the psychology of power. Here is something we've found: power is not inherently good or evil. Using punishment as a control tool often fosters an environment of fear in the workplace much as it has in prisons. Many people define punishment as something meted out to a person who has committed a crime or other inappropriate behavior. Office politics are the strategies that people play to gain an advantage, either personally or for a cause that they support. Both individuals and groups may engage in office politics, which can be highly destructive as people focus on personal gains at the expense of the organization.
