Research: Two cups of coffee will make people more ethical

Well, here's another reason to brew some coffee in the morning! A new study by three college professors found that just two cups of coffee can keep you more honest.

"Researchers found that only two cups of caffeinated stuff will make workers more ethical."

Study co-author Michael Christian says people are often mistaken when they think about who the "best" worker is.

"We tend to think of people who work non stop as the best employees. But they are often the ones making the worst ethical choices."

"If you're sleep deprived and can't think straight, it could affect your decisions. They found that caffeine can give sleep-deprived individuals the extra energy needed to resist unethical behavior."

Volunteers were kept awake for an entire night, and separated into two groups. In the morning, one group was given a wintergreen placebo gum to munch on, while the other group was given gum laced with 200 milligrams of caffeine.

The results? Well, you may have guessed it! CNN tells us the volunteers who were given the laced gum "balked when researchers urged them to cheat."

While those who were given the placebo gum "showed a marked willingness to cast conscience aside and go along with the deception."

"Researchers say caffeine could help you resist by strengthening your self-control and willpower when you're exhausted."

As HLN notes, the study even suggests workplaces offer free coffee and nap spaces to help employees stay ethical.

So, a nice nap place sounds pretty good right now! The study was published in the March issue of theJournal of Applied Psychology.