Hello there 👋
Recently I was reading about the Stanford Prison Experiment
The experiment was conducted in 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo to examine situational forces in human behavior.
24 young, healthy, psychologically normal men were randomly assigned to be “prisoners” or “guards” in a simulated prison environment.
The experiment had to be terminated after only 6 days due to the extreme, pathological behaviour emerging in both groups.
The results were shocking! 😲
Young men who were assigned as guards began behaving sadistically, inflicting humiliation and suffering on the prisoners.
Prisoners became blindly obedient and allowed themselves to be dehumanized.
The principal investigator, Zimbardo, was also transformed into a rigid authority figure as the Prison Superintendent.
The experiment demonstrated that the power of situations can alter human behaviour dramatically.
basically, people act differently in different situations
For example, how you act:
By yourself
With your best friend
Surrounded by colleagues
Can all make you act differently depending on the situation you are in.
Anyone who has met their significant other at work will confirm this.
They will say, “You are so different at work than you are at home?”
Because our environments at work and at home are different, and therefore cause us to have different impacts on our human behavior.
Situational forces also impact how you socialize, network, and communicate
Think of places and people you enjoy spending time with:
Friends at a dinner party
Colleauges over lunch
At a networking event meeting new people
Or think of places you hate spending time
Boardroom with directors
after work drinks
Family BBQ (Perhaps this is just me 😂)
When you are in particular environments surrounded by specific people your behavior changes.
We sometimes:
Become more closed off
Avoid interacting with people
Become shy and introverted
Perhaps more loud and arrogant
Demand to be the center of attention
Make inappropriate jokes
Discuss topics we do not know anything about
These behaviors impact your charisma.
For your next meeting, interaction, or presentation take an initiative
To control the environment in which you are in
Curate Your Audience - Surround yourself with confident, engaging individuals—charisma is contagious.
Use Environmental Anchors - Pick venues where you feel at ease and can express yourself comfortably.
Control First Impressions - Design how you enter a spacewalk in with purpose, make eye contact, and smile.
Dress to Influence - Wear clothing that makes you feel confident and aligns with the setting.
Engage the Senses - Music, scents, and décor impact mood—use them to set a charismatic tone.
Many people I speak to mention that when there are in different situations
They act differently and the Stanford Prison Experiment explains why
I loved creating this week’s email for you,
Hopefully, it has given more clarity as to why you may thrive in some situations and lose confidence in others.
Speak next week!
Kind Regards
Sebastian from Art of Charisma
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