Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
Social Sciences / Psychology Highly Cited Researchers 19 Scientists Citation Rankings (Sort by last 6 years Citation Index) - 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) list 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.
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Career (construction) counselling
narrative career counselling
life designing
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,665
6,137
0.418
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* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Youth resilience
Social Ecology of Resilience Theory
Culture & resilience
African youths' resilience processes
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,318
5,231
0.629
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Social research methods
Environmental psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,217
1,976
0.469
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Criminology
Geography
Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,633
1,774
0.674
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,439
1,354
0.394
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Psychological ownership
Positive organisational behaviour
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,226
839
0.684
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Personality
social desirability
identity
work-family interface
and student well-being
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,446
698
0.483
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Positive Psychology
hypnosis
psychological strengths
psychological well-being
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
957
665
0.695
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Psychometrics
Rasch
cognition
realism
philosophy of science
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
725
430
0.593
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* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Positive Psychology
Leadership and employee motivation
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
374
313
0.837
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Psychometric testing
Training and Development
cross-cultural test validity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
663
296
0.446
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Qualitative-inquiry
Management/Psychology-pedagogy
research supervision
Auto-ethnography
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
300
209
0.697
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
348
230
0.661
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Sexuality
Kink
Alternative Sexualities
Gender
Sexual Health
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
290
193
0.666
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
47
47
1.000
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Social psychology
environmental psychology
psychophysiology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
48
41
0.854
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Clinical psychology
Ethics
Mental Health training
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
40
35
0.875
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6
6
1.000
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Psychology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1
1
1.000
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
63,461
258
16
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Kobus Maree
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,665
6,137
0.418
Career (construction) counselling
narrative career counselling
life designing
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
81,461
329
28
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Linda C. Theron
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
8,318
5,231
0.629
Youth resilience
Social Ecology of Resilience Theory
Culture & resilience
African youths' resilience processes
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
245,455
1,094
95
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Claire Wagner
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
4,217
1,976
0.469
Social research methods
Environmental psychology
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
274,258
1,242
105
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Gregory Breetzke
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,633
1,774
0.674
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
350,833
1,646
148
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Maretha Visser|MJ Visser, M Visser
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,439
1,354
0.394
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
516,068
2,573
239
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Chantal Olckers
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,226
839
0.684
Psychological ownership
Positive organisational behaviour
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
574,427
2,889
280
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Jan Alewyn Nel
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,446
698
0.483
Personality
social desirability
identity
work-family interface
and student well-being
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
604,204
3,108
297
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Tharina Guse
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
957
665
0.695
Positive Psychology
hypnosis
psychological strengths
psychological well-being
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
770,080
4,177
397
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
David Maree
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
725
430
0.593
Psychometrics
Rasch
cognition
realism
philosophy of science
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
895,345
5,071
477
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Martha Harunavamwe
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
374
313
0.837
Positive Psychology
Leadership and employee motivation
360° Institutional Performance & Benchmarking Click Here for Live Demo
Through advanced, institution-specific analytics and benchmarking, gain data-driven strategic insights into your academic performance, global standing, and competitive strengths. Compare your institution with 20 similarly ranked institutions at city, country, regional, and global levels, as well as with those in similar standings across 13 subjects, to uncover your institution’s strengths. More Info
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
932,447
5,362
498
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Pieter Schaap
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
663
296
0.446
Psychometric testing
Training and Development
cross-cultural test validity
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,105,934
6,758
615
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Sumari O'Neil
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
300
209
0.697
Qualitative-inquiry
Management/Psychology-pedagogy
research supervision
Auto-ethnography
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,123,121
6,886
625
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Nicoleen Coetzee
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
348
230
0.661
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,145,951
7,059
636
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Jarred H Martin
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
290
193
0.666
Sexuality
Kink
Alternative Sexualities
Gender
Sexual Health
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,785,465
12,069
1,043
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Jolize Joubert Van Appel
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
47
47
1.000
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,817,475
12,336
1,067
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Ruth Liprini
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
48
41
0.854
Social psychology
environmental psychology
psychophysiology
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
1,873,473
12,848
1,097
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Hanle Kirkcaldy
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
40
35
0.875
Clinical psychology
Ethics
Mental Health training
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
2,219,646
16,422
1,325
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Linda Theron
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6
6
1.000
* Last 6 Years Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
2,340,444
17,705
1,406
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Elisma Williams
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1
1
1.000
