Mapping the intellectual landscape of educational psychology: Citation rankings and network structures of 60 journals, scholars, and institutions

Understanding how influence is structured within educational psychology is critical for advancing research quality, equity, and impact. We introduce a replicable, field-sensitive framework that combines (a) the Educational Psychology H-index (EP-H), which isolates within-field impact, and (b) a cross-citation network mapping journals and subfields. Using 27,482 articles from 60 Web of Science educational-psychology journals (2015–2024), we rank researchers, institutions, countries, and journals, examine convergent validity with established metrics, and identify thematic clusters centered on motivation, learning strategies, emotions, and cognition. Results reveal concentrated influence alongside meaningful international contributions. Leading journals include Journal of Educational Psychology and Educational Psychology Review, with Learning and Individual Differences showing strong connectivity across cognitive, emotional, and motivational subfields. The approach clarifies how citation volume and structural position jointly influence visibility, provides transparent tools for editors and institutions, and can be adapted to other disciplines where disciplinary context is relevant. Educational relevance and implications: This study provides editors, institutions, and researchers with a clear understanding of who and what influences educational psychology. Using a field-specific Educational Psychology H-index (EP-H) and a cross-citation network, we identify journals that connect subfields and scholars who are most visible within the discipline. These tools help early-career scholars select venues and assist departments in evaluating contributions in core areas of educational psychology. The approach is transparent, replicable, and adaptable to related areas of education research.