Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
Africa Social Sciences / Psychology Highly Cited Researchers Citation Rankings 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) highlight the most cited and influential researchers across a vast range of scientific fields, covering 197 main and sub-disciplines, including the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings. This service, offered exclusively by AD Scientific Index, aims to provide a balanced perspective by excluding data from CERN and other statistical sources that disproportionately favor certain researchers, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. This unique approach addresses the advantages researchers with multi-author publications and CERN involvement hold over others. Furthermore, citation rankings help uncover rule violations and unethical practices within the research community. For more detailed citation analyses, explore the Scientists Last 6 Years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025, and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Social psychology
race and ethnic studies
research methods
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
22,458
8,781
0.391
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Positive Organizations
Capabilities
Engagement
Flourishing
Well-being
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
19,303
9,891
0.512
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Neuropsychology
Psychoanalysis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,727
6,218
0.372
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
HIV/ AIDS
adherence
mental health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,214
7,836
0.483
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Clinical Health Psychology
Psycho-oncology
Public Health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
15,387
14,136
0.919
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Career (construction) counselling
narrative career counselling
life designing
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,468
7,015
0.485
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Research
Public Health
Psychology
Gender
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,504
4,308
0.345
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Mental Illness
Personality Assessment
Cross Cultural Psychology
Personality Inventory
Positive Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,502
5,602
0.448
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Career and Human Capacity Development
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,149
5,416
0.534
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Psychology and law
eyewitness identification
social psychology
segregation
contact
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,981
3,594
0.400
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Youth resilience
Social Ecology of Resilience Theory
Culture & resilience
African youths' resilience processes
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,891
5,495
0.696
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Organisational Behaviour
Psychology assessment
Research methodology
Organisational development
Social sciences
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,885
3,888
0.493
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
positive psychology
meaning
relational well-being
cultures of positivity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,650
4,093
0.535
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Psychology
Public Health
Women's studies
Gender
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,475
2,805
0.375
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Developmental Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,462
5,381
0.721
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
psychology
violence
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,057
5,046
0.715
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
cultural psychology
child development
intelligence
multilingualism
literacy
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,016
1,878
0.268
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,196
1,832
0.296
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,999
3,136
0.523
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Child and adolescent mental health and cognition
Mental health across the lifecourse Lifecourse
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,661
3,879
0.685
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Adolescent mental health
Substance use
Suicide
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,583
4,727
0.847
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Developmental Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,580
4,240
0.760
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
social psychology
interventions
masculinity
violence
gender
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,294
4,238
0.801
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
AFRICAN ETHICS
AFRICAN PSYCHOLOGY
AFRICAN LANGUAGES
PSYCHOLOGY
AFRIKOLOGY
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,293
2,121
0.401
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Neuropsychology
Clinical Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,835
2,572
0.532
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
34,427
105
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Kevin Durrheim
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
22,458
8,781
0.391
Social psychology
race and ethnic studies
research methods
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
42,533
133
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Sebastiaan Rothmann
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
19,303
9,891
0.512
Positive Organizations
Capabilities
Engagement
Flourishing
Well-being
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
51,651
167
35
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Mark Solms
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,727
6,218
0.372
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
53,911
179
30
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Ashraf Kagee
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
16,214
7,836
0.483
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
57,786
17
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Nuworza Kugbey
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
15,387
14,136
0.919
Clinical Health Psychology
Psycho-oncology
Public Health
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
62,637
211
17
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Kobus Maree
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,468
7,015
0.485
Career (construction) counselling
narrative career counselling
life designing
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
75,531
253
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Nompumelelo Zungu
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,504
4,308
0.345
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
75,550
100
9
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Ahmed M Abdel Khalek
Alexandria University
Alexandria, Egypt
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
12,502
5,602
0.448
Mental Illness
Personality Assessment
Cross Cultural Psychology
Personality Inventory
Positive Psychology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
96,888
345
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Melinde Coetzee
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,149
5,416
0.534
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
111,329
403
101
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Colin Tredoux
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,981
3,594
0.400
Psychology and law
eyewitness identification
social psychology
segregation
contact
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
128,657
494
43
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Linda C. Theron
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,891
5,495
0.696
Youth resilience
Social Ecology of Resilience Theory
Culture & resilience
African youths' resilience processes
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
128,758
496
23
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Gert Roodt
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,885
3,888
0.493
Organisational Behaviour
Psychology assessment
Research methodology
Organisational development
Social sciences
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
133,086
520
17
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Marie Wissing
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,650
4,093
0.535
positive psychology
meaning
relational well-being
cultures of positivity
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
136,462
535
71
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Mzikazi Nduna
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,475
2,805
0.375
Psychology
Public Health
Women's studies
Gender
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
136,680
41
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Paul Oburu
Maseno University
Maseno, Kenya
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,462
5,381
0.721
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
145,056
574
134
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Catherine Ward
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,057
5,046
0.715
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
146,035
2
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Robert Serpell
University of Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,016
1,878
0.268
cultural psychology
child development
intelligence
multilingualism
literacy
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
166,003
658
93
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Desmond Painter
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,196
1,832
0.296
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
171,389
689
26
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Karina Mostert
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,999
3,136
0.523
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
181,659
739
93
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Tamsen Jean Rochat
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,661
3,879
0.685
Child and adolescent mental health and cognition
Mental health across the lifecourse Lifecourse
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
184,055
55
20
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Kwaku Oppong Asante
University of Ghana
Legon, Ghana
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,583
4,727
0.847
Adolescent mental health
Substance use
Suicide
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
184,143
758
186
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Lauren Wild
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,580
4,240
0.760
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
193,795
805
14
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Andrew Gibbs
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,294
4,238
0.801
social psychology
interventions
masculinity
violence
gender
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
193,854
807
71
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Nhlanhla Mkhize
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,293
2,121
0.401
AFRICAN ETHICS
AFRICAN PSYCHOLOGY
AFRICAN LANGUAGES
PSYCHOLOGY
AFRIKOLOGY
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
211,712
886
208
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Kevin Thomas
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,835
2,572
0.532