Here, we have focused on the scope and methodology of sub-fields within experimental psychology, in light of the methodological pluralism that characterizes the sub-field of experimental social psychology [@max2].
As a final comment on this introductory chapter, I would like to mention that, in Part One, we highlighted the fact that theories in experimental social psychology are also theories about [*how*]{} people make decisions, but, in Part Two, we noted that theories in experimental social psychology are also theories about [*why*]{} people make decisions, which is why the scope of the sub-field is broader than the scope of the sub-fields in experimental biology or experimental physics.
Ethics in experimental social psychology {#ethics}
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As an area of psychology, social psychology is deeply rooted in the ethical tradition of experimental science. This is arguably the most important reason why there is a sub-field in experimental social psychology.
In this chapter, we present two different approaches to ethics in social psychology. The first is the *objectivist* approach, which views the objective of social psychology as the study of behavior and thus argues that it is the ethical [*behavior*]{} of people that is important. The second is the *subjectivist* approach, which views the ethical [*subjective*]{} views of people as important and as the basis for guiding social behavior. The two approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, and the interested reader is encouraged to look at the (in)famous debate between Galton and Phillips (originally published in 1879) [@galton] to learn more.
Objectivist approach to ethics in social psychology {#objectivist}
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This is the approach taken in Max Planck’s famous quote, “Science without morals is immoral.” If we are to conduct ethical social science (ESSC), we must conduct our research with the intention of informing, not manipulating or controlling, our participants’ behavior. If we are to study human beings, we must study them in their natural setting. We must pay attention to their preferences, norms, motivations, values, attitudes, and so on [@galton]. In light of the call for a division between the subjective and objective in psychology, we often view social psychology as an objective science, when in fact it is not, or at least not in the way that we define it [@max2
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