Social Psychology and History: A Symposium
some unhappiness and confusion in the house of social psychology, for there have in recent years been numerous critiques of the field. Some have been disappointed by a recognition that despite the hard work of the past decades, we have not produced much in the way of practical knowledge to help in the solution of pressing social problems. Other critics have been concerned that our field may indeed have practical implications, but that they are most likely to be realized by people in positions of power, who may use our research (&dquo;pure&dquo; or otherwise) to stabilize and enhance their personal well-being at the expense of the less powerful. In a more parochial vein, apart from the matter of applicability, some writers have focused on the dominant research trends of the times. Thus, the ethics and intellectual content of the &dquo;fun-and’games&dquo; approach to research, in which elaborate deceptions may be mounted in the interest of &dquo;scientific progress,&dquo; have been widely criticized. (Can a serious in-