Metaphor is the chief vehicle through which we advance our understanding of social life. Indeed, without metaphor, scientific thinking as a whole would remain paralyzed. To explore these claims, I shall focus in this chapter on some of the major theoretical developments in social psychology - and, more particularly, on the dominant metaphors that have generated these theoretical developments. Within this context, I shall propose that the metaphors used to build scientific theories of human action should be consonant with one's conceptions of scientific conduct itself. In other words, one's conception of what it is to carry out proper behavioral science should mesh with the theories of human conduct (including the conduct of scientists) that one constructs. This proposal suggests that a special tension may exist, at any given time, between the current philosophy of science and particular conceptualizations of the social world: One's theoretical metaphors may be more or less compatible with the root metaphor underlying one's account of science itself. Indeed, I shall argue that in recent decades the tension between social psychology and the typical understanding of the nature of science has become unusually acute - and has even reached a breaking point. The family of metaphors underlying major theories in contemporary social psychology - not to mention emerging strands of social inquiry - form essential challenges to the traditional concept of science. As a result, a new conception of science seems to be demanded. (Kenneth Gergen)