A forthcoming article in Theory & Psychology will be of interest to AHP readers. “The archival turn in classical social psychology: Some recent reports,” by Augustine Brannigan. Abstract:
Preservation of the research records of classical experiments in university archives has opened a new avenue of investigation for students of social psychology. In many cases, the records afford the observer with access to materials to explain the actual progress of the research as it transpired originally and permit the observer to assess the fidelity as well as the inconsistencies between what was accomplished and what was subsequently published in the scientific literature. This archival turn in psychological research can provide a fresh understanding of the significance of the original research exposing both its value and its apparent weaknesses. In this essay, I explore archival reassessments of the work of Milgram, Zimbardo, and Sherif.