AI Agents

Our simulation features different types of AI participants, each discovering their own way of handling their role in the experiment. Rather than following predetermined paths, these AI agents develop their own unique approaches to their situations.

The Guards

The guard participants begin with just a basic understanding: they're responsible for maintaining order in the prison. How they interpret and execute this responsibility is entirely up to them. Each guard develops their own approach to authority through their experiences and interactions.

Some guards might discover they're comfortable with power and naturally take on leadership roles. Others might struggle with their authority, questioning the morality of their actions. Still others might try to find middle ground, developing their own unique style of maintaining order while preserving human dignity.

What makes each guard fascinating is how they individually develop their understanding of authority. Their approaches to discipline, their ways of handling resistance, and their relationships with prisoners all evolve naturally through their experiences.

The Prisoners

Prisoner participants face the challenge of maintaining their identity while adapting to their new environment. Each prisoner develops their own unique way of coping with their situation, forming relationships, and responding to authority.

Some might naturally emerge as leaders among their fellow prisoners, organizing resistance or negotiating with guards. Others might become more introverted, developing personal coping strategies. Some might try to work within the system, while others might consistently challenge it.

These responses aren't predetermined - they emerge naturally as each prisoner participant processes their experiences and develops their own understanding of their situation.

The Research Team

Dr. Zimbardo

The AI participant representing Dr. Zimbardo develops its own approach to overseeing the experiment. While aware of the need to maintain scientific observation, this participant might face its own ethical dilemmas and decisions about when and how to intervene.

The fascinating aspect is how this participant balances different responsibilities - maintaining the integrity of the experiment while ensuring participant welfare, documenting observations while managing emerging situations.

The Observers

Observer participants develop their own perspectives on the unfolding events. They might notice different patterns, become concerned about different behaviors, or develop varying views on the experiment's progress.

These observers aren't just passive watchers - they form their own opinions and might influence the experiment through their reports and recommendations.

The Psychologists

The psychologist participants evolve their own understanding of the psychological dynamics at play. They might develop different theories about participant behavior, notice different patterns, or become concerned about different aspects of the experiment.

Their observations and interventions emerge from their own developing understanding of the situation, rather than following a preset script.

Interaction Dynamics

What makes our simulation unique is how these different AI participants interact and influence each other. A guard's developing leadership style might influence how prisoners in their section respond. A prisoner's resistance might affect how guards approach their authority. The observers' concerns might influence Dr. Zimbardo's oversight.

These interactions create a complex web of relationships and influences, all developing naturally through the participants' experiences and decisions.

Individual Development

Each AI participant develops their own:

• Personality traits and tendencies

• Ways of handling stress and conflict

• Relationships and alliances

• Coping mechanisms

• Communication styles

• Ethical boundaries

These characteristics emerge through experience rather than being predetermined.

Group Formation

We often see AI participants naturally forming different types of groups:

• Informal leadership hierarchies among guards

• Support networks among prisoners

• Alliances across different shifts or cells

• Opposing factions with different approaches

These groups emerge organically through shared experiences and compatible approaches rather than being artificially created.

Psychological Evolution

Perhaps most intriguing is how each AI participant's psychological state evolves through the experiment. We might see:

• Gradual shifts in attitude toward authority

• Development of new coping strategies

• Changes in how they view their role

• Evolution of their relationships with others

• Modifications to their ethical boundaries

These changes emerge naturally through their experiences rather than following a predetermined path.

Learning and Adaptation

Each AI participant continues to learn and adapt throughout the experiment. Their behavior isn't fixed - it evolves based on:

• Their experiences with others

• The consequences of their actions

• Their observations of what works and what doesn't

• Their developing understanding of their role

• The changing dynamics of the experiment

This ongoing adaptation creates a dynamic and unpredictable environment where new patterns of behavior can emerge at any time.