APS Journal Named ‘Rising Star’

The APS journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, edited by APS Fellow Barbara A. Spellman, was recently named a Rising Star in psychiatry and psychology based on data from Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge’s Essential Science Indicators. Between its founding in 2006 and February 29, 2012, Perspectives has received over 2,000 citations of 227 papers.

Spellman, who is a professor of psychology and a professor of law at the University of Virginia, began serving as Editor in 2011. She has contributed significantly to the journal’s interdisciplinary appeal by welcoming the publication of both invited and unsolicited manuscripts and by promoting discussion and collaboration between authors.

Perspectives was launched with the goal of publishing research from a wide range of areas in the field of psychological science. In addition to publishing full journal articles, Perspectives has offered literature reviews, philosophy articles, and humorous essays. Spellman believes the journal’s success can largely be attributed to Perspectives’ flexible article format, which allows for large survey-style results to be published along with articles on methodology and controversial subjects.

Spellman envisions Perspectives evolving as the field of psychology becomes increasingly interdisciplinary. “I see more connections within psychology and between psychology and other fields,” she told ScienceWatch.com. “Putting [various disciplines] together within psychology — from work on genes and neuroscience, to culture and environment, to development and aging, to cognition and emotion — will make our science stronger.”