SCAN將考慮使用神經(jīng)成像(fMRI、MRI、PET、EEG、MEG)、神經(jīng)心理學(xué)患者研究、動物損傷研究、單細(xì)胞記錄、藥物干擾和經(jīng)顱磁刺激的研究。掃描也將考慮提交，檢查神經(jīng)過程的中介作用，在連接社會現(xiàn)象與生理，神經(jīng)內(nèi)分泌，免疫，發(fā)育和遺傳過程。此外，SCAN還將發(fā)表論文，討論與社會和情感過程相關(guān)的心理和身體健康問題(例如，自閉癥、焦慮癥、抑郁癥、壓力、撫養(yǎng)孩子的影響)，只要使用認(rèn)知神經(jīng)科學(xué)方法。最后，盡管SCAN的目標(biāo)是發(fā)表最尖端的研究成果，但它的目標(biāo)也是讓那些本身不使用神經(jīng)科學(xué)技術(shù)的社會科學(xué)家也能接觸到。為此目的，應(yīng)該用語言來描述研究，使其對社會科學(xué)的影響更加明確。此外，在每期的一些文章之前會有簡短的評論，以便從概念上將研究與相關(guān)的更廣泛的社會科學(xué)問題聯(lián)系起來。

SCAN will consider research that uses neuroimaging (fMRI, MRI, PET, EEG, MEG), neuropsychological patient studies, animal lesion studies, single-cell recording, pharmacological perturbation, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. SCAN will also consider submissions that examine the mediational role of neural processes in linking social phenomena to physiological, neuroendocrine, immunological, developmental, and genetic processes. Additionally, SCAN will publish papers that address issues of mental and physical health as they relate to social and affective processes (e.g., autism, anxiety disorders, depression, stress, effects of child rearing) as long as cognitive neuroscience methods are used.Finally, although SCAN aims to publish the best cutting edge research, its goal is also to be accessible to social scientists who do not themselves use neuroscience techniques. To this end, studies should be described in language that makes their implications for the social sciences clear. Additionally, short reviews will precede some articles in each issue to link the research conceptually to the broader social science issues to which they are relevant.