Aims & Scope
The Journal of Human Psychology publishes empirical research and systematic reviews that advance scientific understanding of human behavior, cognition, and psychological processes through rigorous measurement, experimental design, and theoretical development.
Core Research Domains
Cognitive & Behavioral Science
Research on fundamental cognitive processes, learning mechanisms, and behavioral patterns through experimental and observational methods.
- Memory systems and encoding processes
- Attention mechanisms and perceptual organization
- Decision-making models and judgment biases
- Learning theory and behavioral conditioning
- Language processing and psycholinguistics
- Problem-solving and reasoning strategies
Social & Personality Psychology
Scientific study of social influence, interpersonal dynamics, personality structure, and individual differences using validated assessment methods.
- Social cognition and attribution processes
- Personality trait measurement and validation
- Group dynamics and intergroup relations
- Attitude formation and persuasion mechanisms
- Prosocial behavior and cooperation
- Identity development and self-concept
Developmental Psychology
Lifespan research examining psychological development, age-related changes in cognition and behavior, and developmental trajectories.
- Cognitive development across lifespan
- Social-emotional development in childhood
- Adolescent identity and autonomy
- Adult development and aging processes
- Developmental psychopathology risk factors
- Attachment patterns and relationship formation
Neurobehavioral Science
Investigation of brain-behavior relationships, neural mechanisms underlying psychological processes, and biological bases of behavior.
- Neural correlates of cognitive functions
- Neuroplasticity and learning mechanisms
- Psychophysiological measurement methods
- Evolutionary psychology and adaptation
- Behavioral genetics and heritability studies
- Neuropsychological assessment techniques
Secondary Focus Areas
Cross-Disciplinary Research
- Psychology and artificial intelligence (human-AI interaction, algorithmic decision-making effects)
- Environmental psychology (behavioral responses to environmental factors)
- Organizational behavior (workplace psychology, team dynamics)
- Educational psychology (learning assessment, instructional design)
- Cultural psychology (cross-cultural behavioral comparisons)
Methodological Innovations
- Novel psychological assessment instruments
- Advanced statistical modeling techniques
- Psychometric validation studies
- Meta-analytic methods and systematic reviews
- Computational modeling of psychological processes
Applied Behavioral Research
- Consumer behavior and decision science
- Sports psychology and performance optimization
- Forensic psychology (eyewitness memory, jury decision-making)
- Health behavior and behavioral medicine
- Technology-mediated behavior and digital psychology
Well-Being & Positive Psychology
- Psychological well-being measurement
- Resilience factors and coping mechanisms
- Mindfulness and attention training effects
- Positive emotion regulation strategies
- Meaning-making and existential psychology
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Expedited Review (14-21 days to first decision)
Empirical studies with novel findings, rigorous methodology, and theoretical contribution (4,000-8,000 words)
Comprehensive evidence synthesis following PRISMA guidelines (5,000-10,000 words)
Psychometric validation, novel assessment tools, methodological innovations (3,000-6,000 words)
Regular Review (28-35 days to first decision)
Brief reports of preliminary findings or focused studies (1,500-3,000 words)
Direct or conceptual replications of published research (2,500-5,000 words)
Descriptions of novel datasets with reuse potential (1,000-2,500 words)
Evidence-based theoretical frameworks with testable predictions (3,000-6,000 words)
Selective Acceptance (by invitation or exceptional merit)
Critical analysis of published research (invited only, 1,500-2,500 words)
Scholarly reviews of significant psychology publications (invited only, 1,000-2,000 words)
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- Experimental studies: CONSORT or JARS-Quant
- Observational research: STROBE guidelines
- Systematic reviews: PRISMA statement
- Animal research: ARRIVE guidelines
- Qualitative studies: COREQ or SRQR
Data & Materials Policy
- Open data strongly encouraged (OSF, Zenodo, Dryad)
- Analysis code sharing for computational studies
- Materials availability statement required
- Data citation following FORCE11 principles
- Exceptions granted for sensitive/proprietary data
Ethics & Integrity
- IRB/ethics committee approval required for human research
- IACUC approval for animal studies
- Informed consent documentation
- Conflict of interest disclosure mandatory
- Adherence to APA ethical principles
Preprint & Prior Publication
- Preprints welcomed (arXiv, PsyArXiv, bioRxiv)
- Conference abstracts do not preclude submission
- Thesis chapters acceptable if substantially revised
- Duplicate publication strictly prohibited
- Preprint DOI must be disclosed at submission
Ready to Submit Your Research?
If your work advances scientific understanding of human behavior through rigorous empirical research or systematic evidence synthesis, we invite your submission.
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