Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
Social Sciences Highly Cited Researchers 36.583 Scientists Citation Rankings - 2025
Discover the world’s highly cited researchers through the AD Scientific Index 2025 Citation Rankings.
These rankings evaluate scientists based on their total and recent citation counts, capturing the breadth and real-time currency of academic recognition. Citation data reveals how widely a scholar’s work is referenced, applied, and extended across diverse disciplines. The rankings are routinely updated to reflect ongoing citation growth, while eliminating distortions from excessive co-authorship and institutional inflation. Premium tools provide access to detailed citation dynamics, unethical citation behavior detection, and field-normalized benchmarking.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
psychology
social psychology
clinical psychology
education
positive psycholog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
668,950
288,930
0.432
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* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
598,626
173,377
0.290
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
self-determination theory
motivation
psycholog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
565,541
236,083
0.417
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Psychology
Social psychology
Personality psychology
Positive Psycholog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
385,629
138,917
0.360
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Qualitative research
thematic analysis
sexuality
gender
famil
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
372,447
283,645
0.762
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Positive Psychology
Learned Helplessness
Prospection
Depression
Optimis
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
329,380
96,126
0.292
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Occupational Health Psycholog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
315,718
142,164
0.450
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
social psychology
personalit
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
312,988
105,028
0.336
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Psychology
Health Neuroscience
Stress and Resilienc
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
294,994
145,714
0.494
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* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
psycholog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
259,156
56,561
0.218
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
developmental psychopathology
intelligence
crime
agin
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
253,877
78,422
0.309
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Emotion
Emotion Regulatio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
253,398
117,410
0.463
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
mind
brain
social interactio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
248,586
47,027
0.189
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Memory
Working memor
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
240,408
48,791
0.203
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
child injury preventio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
236,613
141,475
0.598
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
developmental psychology
ecological systems theory
child developmen
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
235,226
75,991
0.323
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Psychiatrie
Psychologi
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
229,871
71,068
0.309
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
developmental psychology
evolutionary anthropology
cognitive science
evolutionary psycholog
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
223,429
66,814
0.299
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Personality five- factor model. NEO-PI-
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
221,527
53,267
0.240
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Neuropsychology
neurorehabilitation
stroke
traumatic brain injur
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
220,774
143,116
0.648
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Psychology
Educatio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
219,615
61,040
0.278
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Twins
twinning
behavior genetics
quantitative genetic
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
216,678
98,735
0.456
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
psychology
social psychology
psychoneuroimmunology
health psychology
social suppor
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
213,520
70,821
0.332
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
quantitative research method
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
208,113
51,355
0.247
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
attentio
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
197,794
37,663
0.190
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
6
1
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Richard M Ryan
Australian Catholic University
North Sydney, Australia
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
668,950
288,930
0.432
psychology
social psychology
clinical psychology
education
positive psycholog
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
15
8
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Daniel Kahneman
Princeton University
Princeton, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
598,626
173,377
0.290
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
18
11
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Edward L Deci
University of Rochester
Rochester, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
565,541
236,083
0.417
self-determination theory
motivation
psycholog
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
96
47
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Ed Diener
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
385,629
138,917
0.360
Psychology
Social psychology
Personality psychology
Positive Psycholog
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
112
8
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Victoria Clarke
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
372,447
283,645
0.762
Qualitative research
thematic analysis
sexuality
gender
famil
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
177
81
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Martin Seligman
Nemours Children's Health System
Wilmington, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
329,380
96,126
0.292
Positive Psychology
Learned Helplessness
Prospection
Depression
Optimis
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
196
3
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Wilmar Schaufeli
Utrecht University
Utrecht, Netherlands
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
315,718
142,164
0.450
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
201
6
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Roy F Baumeister
University of Queensland
St Lucia, Australia
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
312,988
105,028
0.336
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
272
118
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
David Creswell
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
294,994
145,714
0.494
Psychology
Health Neuroscience
Stress and Resilienc
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
439
183
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Robert Sternberg
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
259,156
56,561
0.218
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Gain insights from detailed performance analyses of scientists across 13 major disciplines, identify your strengths, improve weaknesses, and gain a competitive edge.. Check Your Free Sample Performance Analysis
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
478
192
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Terrie E Moffitt
Duke University
Durham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
253,877
78,422
0.309
developmental psychopathology
intelligence
crime
agin
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
479
193
15
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
James J Gross
Stanford University
Stanford, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
253,398
117,410
0.463
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
511
43
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Chris Frith
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
248,586
47,027
0.189
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
573
46
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Alan Baddeley
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
240,408
48,791
0.203
Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Memory
Working memor
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
598
236
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
David Schwebel
University of Alabama Birmingham
Birmingham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
236,613
141,475
0.598
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
605
239
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Urie Bronfenbrenner
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
235,226
75,991
0.323
developmental psychology
ecological systems theory
child developmen
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
639
19
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Hans Ulrich Wittchen
Technische Universität Dresden
Dresden, Germany
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
229,871
71,068
0.309
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
678
267
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Michael Tomasello
Duke University
Durham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
223,429
66,814
0.299
developmental psychology
evolutionary anthropology
cognitive science
evolutionary psycholog
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
697
277
4
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Paul Costa
Duke University
Durham, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
221,527
53,267
0.240
Personality five- factor model. NEO-PI-
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
701
5
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Suzanne Barker Collo
University of Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
220,774
143,116
0.648
Neuropsychology
neurorehabilitation
stroke
traumatic brain injur
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
713
283
1
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
219,615
61,040
0.278
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
729
10
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Dorret I Boomsma
VU University of Amsterdam
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
216,678
98,735
0.456
Twins
twinning
behavior genetics
quantitative genetic
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
758
297
3
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Sheldon Cohen
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
213,520
70,821
0.332
psychology
social psychology
psychoneuroimmunology
health psychology
social suppor
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
813
323
2
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Stephen West
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
208,113
51,355
0.247
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
902
363
7
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Michael I Posner
University of Oregon
Eugene, United States
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
197,794
37,663
0.190