Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
United States Highly Cited Researchers CitationSocial Sciences / Psychology in United States 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
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
555,707
184,757
0.332
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
self-determination theory
motivation
psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
537,721
247,365
0.460
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Psychology
Social psychology
Personality psychology
Positive Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
369,161
148,611
0.403
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
Positive Psychology
Learned Helplessness
Prospection
Depression
Optimism
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
318,023
103,801
0.326
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Psychology
Health Neuroscience
Stress and Resilience
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
275,819
144,963
0.526
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
251,146
62,917
0.251
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Emotion
Emotion Regulation
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
239,679
122,533
0.511
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
developmental psychopathology
intelligence
crime
aging
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
236,401
82,861
0.351
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
developmental psychology
ecological systems theory
child development
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
225,490
79,547
0.353
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
child injury prevention
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
219,223
147,497
0.673
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
developmental psychology
evolutionary anthropology
cognitive science
evolutionary psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
218,710
74,209
0.339
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
Personality five- factor model. NEO-PI-R
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
217,155
60,022
0.276
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Psychology
Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
205,700
63,794
0.310
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
quantitative research methods
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
200,287
55,578
0.277
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
psychology
social psychology
psychoneuroimmunology
health psychology
social support
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
200,091
71,040
0.355
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
attention
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
193,089
42,639
0.221
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
191,891
58,776
0.306
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Control
Cognitive Science
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
190,615
56,346
0.296
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
Affect
Personality
Psychopathology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
190,081
67,523
0.355
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
social psychology
attitudes
persuasion
social cognition
judgment and decision making
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
187,021
56,314
0.301
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
personality and social psychology
attachment theory
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
173,595
54,654
0.315
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
psychology
social psychology
gender
attitudes
leadership
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
169,488
62,377
0.368
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
Social Psychology
Social Cognition
Health Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
167,201
39,354
0.235
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
social psychology
social neuroscience
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
166,837
58,488
0.351
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
Cognitive Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
164,489
27,741
0.169
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
15
8
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Daniel Kahneman
Princeton University
Princeton, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
555,707
184,757
0.332
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
16
9
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Edward L Deci
University of Rochester
Rochester, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
537,721
247,365
0.460
self-determination theory
motivation
psychology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
96
49
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Ed Diener
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
369,161
148,611
0.403
Psychology
Social psychology
Personality psychology
Positive Psychology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
176
79
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Martin Seligman
Nemours Children's Health System
Wilmington, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
318,023
103,801
0.326
Positive Psychology
Learned Helplessness
Prospection
Depression
Optimism
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
302
132
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
David Creswell
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
275,819
144,963
0.526
Psychology
Health Neuroscience
Stress and Resilience
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
436
183
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Robert Sternberg
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
251,146
62,917
0.251
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
516
208
15
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
James J Gross
Stanford University
Stanford, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
239,679
122,533
0.511
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
549
218
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Terrie E Moffitt
Duke University
Durham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
236,401
82,861
0.351
developmental psychopathology
intelligence
crime
aging
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
611
240
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Urie Bronfenbrenner
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
225,490
79,547
0.353
developmental psychology
ecological systems theory
child development
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
655
260
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
David Schwebel
University of Alabama Birmingham
Birmingham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
219,223
147,497
0.673
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
657
262
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Michael Tomasello
Duke University
Durham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
218,710
74,209
0.339
developmental psychology
evolutionary anthropology
cognitive science
evolutionary psychology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
672
268
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Paul Costa
Duke University
Durham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
217,155
60,022
0.276
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
749
300
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
205,700
63,794
0.310
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
811
324
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Stephen West
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
200,287
55,578
0.277
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
817
328
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Sheldon Cohen
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
200,091
71,040
0.355
psychology
social psychology
psychoneuroimmunology
health psychology
social support
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
875
360
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Michael I Posner
University of Oregon
Eugene, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
193,089
42,639
0.221
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
884
365
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Charles S Carver
University of Miami
Coral Gables, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
191,891
58,776
0.306
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
897
369
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Jonathan D Cohen
Princeton University
Princeton, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
190,615
56,346
0.296
Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Control
Cognitive Science
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
902
370
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
David Watson
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
190,081
67,523
0.355
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
935
386
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Richard E Petty
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
187,021
56,314
0.301
social psychology
attitudes
persuasion
social cognition
judgment and decision making
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,065
452
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Phillip R Shaver
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
173,595
54,654
0.315
personality and social psychology
attachment theory
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,122
482
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Alice Eagly
Northwestern University
Evanston, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
169,488
62,377
0.368
psychology
social psychology
gender
attitudes
leadership
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,149
494
6
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Shelley E Taylor
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
167,201
39,354
0.235
Social Psychology
Social Cognition
Health Psychology
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,154
496
8
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Susan Fiske
Princeton University
Princeton, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
166,837
58,488
0.351
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,180
511
5
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
John R Anderson
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
164,489
27,741
0.169