
Academic Journal
Q1Journal of Applied Psychology
About Journal of Applied Psychology
Journal of Applied Psychology is a scholarly journal published by American Psychological Association. SCImago 2025 places it in Q1 with an SJR of 5.473 and an H-index of 371.
Its listed coverage is 1917-2026 and its research categories include Applied Psychology (Q1). The 2025 dataset reports 59 documents and 3105 citations across the latest three-year reporting window.
The Journal of Applied Psychology is a leading peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing impactful research in the field of applied psychology, with a primary focus on human behavior in organizational, work, and industrial settings. Published by the American Psychological Association (APA), the journal has been a cornerstone of psychological science since its establishment in 1917. For over a century, it has provided a platform for scholarly work that connects theoretical advancements with real-world applications in business, education, and healthcare environments.
This journal is recognized globally for its scientific rigor, relevance to practice, and contribution to evidence-based solutions in the modern workplace.
Aims and Objectives
The main goal of the Journal of Applied Psychology is to advance the application of psychological principles to problems of human behavior in various real-life settings, especially in the workplace. It emphasizes research that is both empirically grounded and practically significant, helping organizations, leaders, and practitioners make informed decisions that enhance performance, well-being, and productivity.
Each published article is subjected to a rigorous peer-review process and must meet high standards of methodological precision and theoretical contribution. The journal welcomes quantitative and qualitative research, meta-analyses, and innovative methodological approaches.
Topics Covered
The scope of the Journal of Applied Psychology is wide-ranging, but all articles must contribute to the understanding of applied psychological processes. Key focus areas include:
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Personnel selection and recruitment
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Training and development
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Performance management and motivation
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Leadership and organizational behavior
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Employee engagement and satisfaction
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Occupational health and stress management
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Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
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Workplace safety and ergonomics
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Cognitive processes and decision-making
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Technology and its impact on work behavior
These topics reflect the journal’s mission to bridge scientific knowledge and practical implementation in modern organizational environments.
Who Should Read This Journal?
The Journal of Applied Psychology serves a diverse readership, including:
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Academic researchers in psychology, management, and organizational studies
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Human resources and training professionals
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Organizational consultants and business leaders
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Students in industrial-organizational psychology and behavioral science
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Policy-makers and educators interested in workplace dynamics
The journal is frequently used as a resource for designing workplace interventions, improving organizational performance, and developing HR strategies rooted in science.
Global Reputation and Impact
With a high impact factor and consistent rankings among the top journals in applied psychology and management, the Journal of Applied Psychology is widely indexed in databases such as PsycINFO, Scopus, and the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI). Its research is widely cited by academic and professional communities alike, demonstrating its value across disciplines.
Journal Metrics
Metrics can change by reporting year. Verify time-sensitive values with the publisher or indexing service.
Aims & Scope
The Journal of Applied Psychology is one of the most prestigious and widely cited publications in the field of psychology, particularly in areas related to workplace behavior, organizational development, and human performance. Published by the American Psychological Association (APA), this peer-reviewed journal focuses exclusively on original investigations that apply psychological theory and methods to real-world challenges.
The scope of the Journal of Applied Psychology reflects a broad yet targeted commitment to bridging research and practice across industries, cultures, and evolving work environments.
A Focus on Applied Psychology
At its core, the Journal of Applied Psychology emphasizes empirical research that addresses practical issues faced in professional, organizational, and community settings. Its primary mission is to foster understanding and application of psychological science to human behavior in real-life contexts, especially within the workplace.
The journal seeks to publish studies that not only advance theory but also offer actionable insights for professionals, leaders, and policy-makers.
Key Areas of Coverage
The Journal of Applied Psychology covers a wide array of research areas that are vital to both industrial-organizational psychology and occupational health psychology. Its scope includes, but is not limited to, the following domains:
1. Personnel Psychology
Research in this area examines recruitment, selection, training, performance appraisal, and career development, providing insights that enhance organizational talent management practices.
2. Organizational Behavior
Topics include leadership, teamwork, decision-making, communication, and organizational culture. These studies help organizations build stronger, more resilient teams and structures.
3. Motivation and Performance
Articles explore the psychological drivers behind employee motivation, goal setting, rewards, and productivity, offering strategies for performance enhancement.
4. Occupational Health and Well-Being
This area focuses on workplace stress, burnout, job satisfaction, mental health, work-life balance, and psychological safety, reflecting growing interest in employee wellness.
5. Diversity and Inclusion
Research in this category examines equity, discrimination, cross-cultural psychology, and inclusion initiatives to support more inclusive and ethical workplaces.
6. Technology and the Future of Work
The journal also welcomes research on remote work, digital collaboration, automation, and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping employee experiences.
Methodological Diversity
While the Journal of Applied Psychology maintains high standards for methodological rigor, it supports a wide range of research methodologies, including:
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Quantitative studies
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Longitudinal designs
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Meta-analyses and systematic reviews
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Field and laboratory experiments
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Qualitative and mixed-method research (when theoretically driven)
Recent Research Articles
Latest publications matched automatically by ISSN.
Rise and shine: Morning blue light exposure, sleep, and work.
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2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001418Personality testing for autistic individuals: Potential issues for selection.
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2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001413Uplifting or off-putting? The effects of supervisors capitalizing on their involvement in positive moral events on employee outcomes.
Grace Ching Chi Ho, Hudson Sessions
2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001416The man of the (second) moment: How greater male variability affects the gender composition and productivity of the workforce.
Jose M. Cortina, Imran Kadolkar, Stefan Volk, Christian Thöni et al.
2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001409Managing internal mobility: How social and human capital shape movers’ integration over time.
Yezi Kang, Ngoc Hân Nguyen, Thomas A. de Vries, Gerben S. van der Vegt et al.
2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001417Socializing through the grapevine: A content-based functional perspective on the receipt of workplace gossip during newcomer socialization.
Rui Zhong, Yingxin Deng, Ryan Tucker
2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001423Can formative latent variables represent psychological concepts? Replication and extension of MacKenzie et al. (2005).
Miguel Aguirre-Urreta, Reza Yamini, Mikko Rönkkö
2026-09-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001415For good and for bad: The distinctive effects of successors’ leadership behavior on collective engagement and organizational performance.
Katherine J. Klein, Shoshana Schwartz, J. R. Keller, David A. Harrison et al.
2026-09 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001359When (collective) losses loom larger than voice pains: The effect of loss framing on willingness to speak up at work.
Jeffrey P. Thomas, Jonathan E. Booth, Phillip S. Thompson, Mark C. Bolino et al.
2026-09 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001372The gendered costs of voice (un)enacted: Differential effects on belonging in traditionally male-dominated contexts.
Crystal I. C. Farh, Blair E. Middlebrook, Kyoungjo (Jo) Oh, Stephen H. Lee et al.
2026-09 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001364The hidden cost of courage: How oppositional courage shapes trans employees’ diminished image belief.
Christian N. Thoroughgood, Katina B. Sawyer, Gwendolyn Paige Watson, Mateo Cruz et al.
2026-09 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001374The paradox of structural empowerment: How and when structural empowerment fuels psychological entitlement and undermines resource sharing.
Hun Whee Lee
2026-09 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001377The many facets of leadership: A meta-analysis of personality facets, leader effectiveness, and emergence.
Nathan Baker, William Scott, Christopher D. Nye, Oleksandr S. Chernyshenko et al.
2026-09 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001378Supplemental Material for Personality Testing for Autistic Individuals: Potential Issues for Selection
2026-08-31 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001413.suppSupplemental Material for Managing Internal Mobility: How Social and Human Capital Shape Movers’ Integration Over Time
2026-08-31 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001417.suppDaily temporal profiles at work: State-level dynamics in past, present, and future focus.
Brian C. Holtz, Harshad Puranik, Crystal M. Harold, Kathleen R. Keeler et al.
2026-08-10 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001411Reinforcing or eroding norms? The team consequences of negative gossip network.
Rui Zhong, Yimin He, Yinbo (Bowie) Zheng, Christopher M. Barnes et al.
2026-08-10 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001406Ethics of care leadership expressions during a high-strength event: A gendered analysis of combative versus constructive policy suggestions during the Israel–Hamas war.
Alexander D. Stajkovic, Kayla S. Stajkovic, Jenny M. Hoobler, Frederick P. Morgeson et al.
2026-08-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001381How the boss’s “right hand” becomes the group’s “go-to”: Leader–member exchange as a heuristic cue for everyday asks.
Emma L. Frank, Fadel K. Matta, Olympia M. Nakos, Jessica B. Rodell et al.
2026-08-03 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001401Turning the envious boss into a friend or a foe: The emotional and behavioral reactions to being envied by one’s supervisor and its impact on leader–member exchange.
Haoying (Howie) Xu, Harshad Puranik, Sandy J. Wayne, Jingzhou Pan et al.
2026-08 · DOI: 10.1037/apl0001366Reviews
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April 20, 2025 at 4:04 am
April 20, 2025