Your essay should be 1250-1500 words (approximately 2-3 typed pages).  Use 1-inch margins, double-spaced and a 12-point font.

Without deception, many topics in psychology could not be studied because participants’ knowledge that they are being studied will often change how they behave. In thinking

about this dilemma in psychological research, consider the risk/benefit ratio for any research.

• Is deception allowable when the research might yield a very important gain, such as a cure for a particular mental illness or a way to reduce prejudice?
• Can any form of deception be thought of as mild—for example, telling participants you are studying reading comprehension when you are really studying reading speed—or is any deception, no matter how seemingly harmless, unacceptable?
• Are there circumstances in which deception should be allowed? If so, what are they?