Yang, YJ; Chiu, CY. 2009. Mapping the Structure and Dynamics of Psychological Knowledge: Forty Years of APA Journal Citations (1970-2009). REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY.

[Eugene Garfield]

Yang, YJ; Chiu, CY. 2009. Mapping the Structure and Dynamics of
Psychological Knowledge: Forty Years of APA Journal Citations (1970-2009).
REVIEW OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 13 (4): 349-356.

Author Full Name(s): Yang, Yung-Jui; Chiu, Chi-yue
E-mail Address: yjyang at illinois.edu

Language: English
Document Type: Article

Abstract: To understand how subfields of psychology relate to each other as
a whole, we analyzed 40 years (from 1979 to 2009) of journal citation data
collected from 17 American Psychological Association journals. The results
reveal two stable underlying dimensions of psychological knowledge-basic
versus applied, and population-specific versus population-general-that
organize subfields of psychology. Within the structure, personality and
social psychology is located at the heart of psychological knowledge.
Analysis of the dynamic flow of knowledge between subfields of psychology
further reveals that although the subfields engage in clear division of
labor, they also engage in dynamic transactions of knowledge. Finally, an
emergent subfield would first obtain its intellectual nutrients from the
established disciplines. Once it has found its own niche, it turns into a
spin-off and starts to assume the role of knowledge supplier. The
implications of these results for psychology as a science are discussed.

Addresses: [Yang, Yung-Jui; Chiu, Chi-yue] Univ Illinois, Dept Psychol,
Urbana, IL 61801 USA; [Chiu, Chi-yue] Nanyang Technol Univ, Nanyang Business
Sch, Singapore, Singapore

Reprint Address: Yang, YJ, 603 E Daniel St, Champaign, IL 61820 USA.

ISSN: 1089-2680
DOI: 10.1037/a0017195

paper URL: http://psycnet.apa.org/?fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/a0017195