This week's Citation Classic is Martin T. Orne's 1962 paper, "On the Social Psychology of the Psychological Experiment," published in *Amer. Psychol.* The paper emphasizes that subjects in psychological experiments are not passive responders but active participants whose perceptions and behaviors can be significantly influenced by the experimental setting. Orne argues that the experimental context can alter how subjects perceive and respond to stimuli, affecting the ecological validity of the research. He proposes procedures to assess the impact of being in an experiment on subjects' behavior and highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between the intended and perceived experiments. Despite criticism that such studies undermine the value of experimental research, Orne maintains that rigorous methodology is essential for progress in psychology, particularly in studying human behavior and thought. He stresses the need to develop techniques that allow for systematic observations while acknowledging the active role of subjects in the experimental process.This week's Citation Classic is Martin T. Orne's 1962 paper, "On the Social Psychology of the Psychological Experiment," published in *Amer. Psychol.* The paper emphasizes that subjects in psychological experiments are not passive responders but active participants whose perceptions and behaviors can be significantly influenced by the experimental setting. Orne argues that the experimental context can alter how subjects perceive and respond to stimuli, affecting the ecological validity of the research. He proposes procedures to assess the impact of being in an experiment on subjects' behavior and highlights the importance of understanding the relationship between the intended and perceived experiments. Despite criticism that such studies undermine the value of experimental research, Orne maintains that rigorous methodology is essential for progress in psychology, particularly in studying human behavior and thought. He stresses the need to develop techniques that allow for systematic observations while acknowledging the active role of subjects in the experimental process.