SCAN將考慮使用神經成像(fMRI、MRI、PET、EEG、MEG)、神經心理學患者研究、動物損傷研究、單細胞記錄、藥物干擾和經顱磁刺激的研究。掃描也將考慮提交，檢查神經過程的中介作用，在連接社會現象與生理，神經內分泌，免疫，發育和遺傳過程。此外，SCAN還將發表論文，討論與社會和情感過程相關的心理和身體健康問題(例如，自閉癥、焦慮癥、抑郁癥、壓力、撫養孩子的影響)，只要使用認知神經科學方法。最后，盡管SCAN的目標是發表最尖端的研究成果，但它的目標也是讓那些本身不使用神經科學技術的社會科學家也能接觸到。為此目的，應該用語言來描述研究，使其對社會科學的影響更加明確。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的更廣泛的社會科學問題聯系起來。

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.