Some psychologists think it is almost always wrong to deceive research subjects, while others think the use of deception is essential if significant human problems are to receive scientific study. Illusions of Reality shows how deception is used in psychological research to create illusions of reality - situations that involve research subjects without revealing the true purpose of the experiment.

The book examines the origins and development of this practice that have lead to some of the most dramatic and controversial studies in the history of psychology.