Journal profile · ROBOTICS
International Journal of Social Robotics
ISSN 1875-4791 · eISSN 1875-4805 · Springer Netherlands · NETHERLANDS · 10 issues per year · Founded 2009
International Journal of Social Robotics: CAS Zone 2 · Computer Science (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 4.57; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,190; median 451 days to acceptance (48 articles, last 24 months); 139 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Journal of Social Robotics is published by Springer Netherlands and is in Zone 2 of Computer Science in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Social Robot Interaction and HRI, AI in Service Interactions and Ethics and Social Impacts of AI, together about 50.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Social Psychology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Alert! Please note that fake e-mails are being sent with the following e-mail address: editorial.in.chief@gmail.com Please ignore and block/delete any e-mails coming from this e-mail address Social Robotics is the study of robots that are able to interact and communicate among themselves, with humans, and with the environment, within the social and cultural structure attached to its role. The journal covers a broad spectrum of topics related to the latest technologies, new research results and developments in the area of social robotics on all levels, from developments in core enabling technologies to system integration, aesthetic design, applications and social implications. It provides a platform for like-minded researchers to present their findings and latest developments in social robotics, covering relevant advances in engineering, computing, arts and social sciences. The journal publishes original, peer reviewed articles and contributions on innovative ideas and concepts, new discoveries and improvements, as well as novel applications, by leading researchers and developers regarding the latest fundamental advances in the core technologies that form the backbone of social robotics, distinguished developmental projects in the area, as well as seminal works in aesthetic design, ethics and philosophy, studies on social impact and influence, pertaining to social robotics. The journal aims to provide an overview of the current state of the social robotics scene, how the field and related technologies are set to evolve in the future, and their impact on society at large. It also provides researchers in diverse fields - from engineering, to the social sciences - and developers in the area a consolidated volume which details the latest developments and act as an international forum for all issues within the editorial focus. Topics of interest for the scientific papers and letters include but are not limited to:
· Affective and cognitive sciences for socially interactive robots
· Human-robot interaction and robot-robot interaction
· Compliance, safety and compatibility in the design of social robots ''living'' with humans
· Learning, adaptation and evolution of intelligence
· Roboethics in human society
· Social acceptance and impact of robots in the society
· Design philosophies and socially appealing design methodologies
· Socially assistive robotics
· Biomechatronics, neuro-robotics, and biomedical robotics
· Context awareness, expectation and intention und
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ROBOTICS
Editor-in-chief Mary EllenPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Japan 1, Germany 1, Colombia 1 (3 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Social Robot Interaction and HRIPsychology31%
- AI in Service InteractionsComputer Science13.7%
- Ethics and Social Impacts of AISocial Sciences5.7%
- Robotics and Automated SystemsEngineering5.2%
- Robot Manipulation and LearningEngineering4.5%
- Psychology of Moral and Emotional JudgmentNeuroscience3.7%
- Human-Automation Interaction and SafetyPsychology3.3%
- Action Observation and SynchronizationPsychology3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Computer Science Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Computer Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Robotics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Computer Science Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Computer Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Robotics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Computer Science Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Computer Science | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Robotics | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexINSPECPsycINFODBLPCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 4.57LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 4.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 6.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 9.8LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.12LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.97LetPub ·
- h-index
- 38LetPub ·
- h-index
- 111OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 879OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.95OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 8.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 66.57%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 129LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 1,000,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,438 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 107 | 65 | 44 |
| 2025 | 139 | 108 | 422 |
| 2024 | 109 | 80 | 937 |
| 2023 | 135 | 105 | 2,129 |
| 2022 | 112 | 80 | 2,785 |
| 2021 | 117 | 72 | 3,803 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
451 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 333 days – 653 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 27 days (86 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 475 days
- Sample
- 48 articles with submission and acceptance dates (273 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 61 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,190 / EUR 3,190 / GBP 2,790 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers3, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria Model summary
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
Competing interests disclosure required Model summary
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data transparency policy Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
COPE member Model summary
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
Open Choice copyright remains with author under Creative Commons license Model summary
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in International Journal of Social Robotics, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
Single-blind peer review Model summary
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review process for these articles is the same as the peer review process of the journal in general. Additionally, if a guest editor authors an article in their issue/collection, they will not handle the peer review process. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Clinical Trial Registration
The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial is "any research study that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes". The WHO defines health interventions as “A health intervention is an act performed for, with or on behalf of a person or population whose purpose is to ass…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- 10 issues per year
- Founded
- 2009
- ISSN
- 1875-4791
- Electronic ISSN
- 1875-4805
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Journal of Social Robotics
What CAS zone is International Journal of Social Robotics in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Journal of Social Robotics is in Zone 2 of Computer Science, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Robotics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Computer Science. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of International Journal of Social Robotics?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 4.57; CiteScore 9.8, h-index 111.
How long does peer review take at International Journal of Social Robotics?
Based on the dates recorded on 48 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 451 days (interquartile range 333–653 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of International Journal of Social Robotics?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of International Journal of Social Robotics based?
Of the 3 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Japan (1), Germany (1) and Colombia (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index International Journal of Social Robotics?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Journal of Social Robotics is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex, INSPEC, PsycINFO, DBLP and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is International Journal of Social Robotics open access, and what is the APC?
International Journal of Social Robotics is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,190.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .