Sixty psychologists across the nation signed the letter, which was sent on Sept. 30, including HMS professors Lane Conn, Sarah A. Conn, lecturer on psychology, Susan E. Linn and Lynne B. Layton, assistant clinical professor of psychology.

Gary M. Ruskin, director of Commercial Alert, an organization dedicated to helping families, schools and communities defend themselves against commercialism, advertising and marketing, according to its Web site, drafted the proposal and asked for signatures over the summer.

Among other things, the letter urges an explicit condemnation of using psychological knowledge to design advertising aimed at children:

"The use of psychological insight and methodology to bypass parents and influence the behavior of children is a crisis for the profession of psychology," the letter states.

The authors of the letter also stressed the need for limits for psychologists who use their training for commercial purposes and for an investigation into the ongoing use of research in advertising.

"If the APA stands for anything, and if it takes its own mission seriously, it out to expose and challenge this abuse of psychological. It must not to tolerate by silence such abuse by it's own members."

Though some question the APA's ability to take such a stance, longtime consumer advocate and Harvard Law School graduate Ralph Nader disagrees and says this is precisely what the organization is for.

"One function of a professional association is to set voluntary standards of ethical behavior," he says.