Final answer:
Active deception to generate unusual behavior is exemplified by the false confession scenario with arrested criminals being misled to believe their partner is confessing, as well as the Stanford Prison Experiment, both of which lead to unexpected and unethical outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of active deception that leads to unusual behavior, such as a false confession, can be seen in the scenario involving two co-conspiratorial criminals. When arrested and separated into different interrogation rooms, police officers deceive each prisoner by suggesting their partner is confessing, thereby manipulating them into considering a confession themselves to receive a lighter sentence. This deceptive tactic is not disclosed to the prisoners: if both remain silent, they would face minimal jail time due to weak evidence. Such active deception impacts the reliability of confessions as it exploits the psychological vulnerability to suggestion and the power dynamic in the interrogation setting.
In another context, the Stanford Prison Experiment illustrates how participants can be led into unexpected behaviors through the manipulation of an authority figure. In this case, participants assigned to play the roles of guards and prisoners displayed abnormal and aggressive behaviors as a result of the constructed environment and perceived role expectations, which was unexpected and highlighted ethical concerns.