Which aspect of the findings from Zimbardo's study did not align with the situational hypothesis?

The finding that some guards did not conform to expected behaviors is significant because it challenges the situational hypothesis, which suggests that people's actions are primarily influenced by the environment and context. In Zimbardo's study, a key expectation was that all participants would adhere strictly to their assigned roles, with guards behaving harshly and prisoners being submissive due to the situational pressures of the prison environment.

However, the fact that some guards exhibited a variety of behaviors, including compassion or reluctance to exert control over the prisoners, suggests that individual differences and personal choice played a role in how these participants acted. This indicates that not all behaviors can be solely explained by the situational context, thereby presenting a limitation to the situational hypothesis. It highlights the complexity of human behavior, which cannot be entirely predicted by situational factors alone.

The other choices reflect different aspects of Zimbardo's findings, but they do not provide similar contradictions to the idea that the situation was the primary driver of behavior. For instance, the notion that all guards behaved similarly supports the situational hypothesis, as does the idea that prisoners demonstrated only positive behavior, as it aligns with expected responses to oppressive environments. The claim about reforming the prison system does not relate directly to the