Journal profile · PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG
ISSN 0340-0727 · eISSN 1430-2772 · Springer Nature · 8 issues per year
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG: CAS Zone 3 · Psychology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.86; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,190; median 165 days to acceptance (105 articles, last 24 months); 153 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 3 of Psychology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies, Visual perception and processing mechanisms and Action Observation and Synchronization, together about 35.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Cognitive Neuroscience. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Psychological Research/Psychologische Forschung publishes articles that contribute to a basic understanding of human perception, attention, memory, and action. The Journal is devoted to the dissemination of knowledge based on firm experimental ground, but not to particular approaches or schools of thought. Theoretical and historical papers are welcome to the extent that they serve this general purpose; papers of an applied nature are acceptable if they contribute to basic understanding or serve to bridge the often felt gap between basic and applied research in the field covered by the Journal.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL
Editor-in-chief Tilo StrobachPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 3%); most named Germany 12, United States 4, United Kingdom 2, Italy 2, Canada 2 (33 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeuroscience16.6%
- Visual perception and processing mechanismsNeuroscience10.1%
- Action Observation and SynchronizationPsychology8.4%
- Motor Control and AdaptationNeuroscience6.9%
- Multisensory perception and integrationPsychology5.1%
- Child and Animal Learning DevelopmentPsychology4.4%
- Neuroscience and Music PerceptionNeuroscience4.2%
- Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skillsMathematics4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Psychology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychology, Experimental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Psychology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychology, Experimental | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Psychology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Psychology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Psychology, Experimental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
SCIEMEDLINEPsycINFOERIH PLUSCurrent 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
- 1.86LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.7LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.94LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.26LetPub ·
- h-index
- 136OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,122OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.6OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 4.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 47.2%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 156LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 825,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 4,104 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 171 | 113 | 40 |
| 2025 | 153 | 82 | 206 |
| 2024 | 161 | 95 | 528 |
| 2023 | 124 | 78 | 905 |
| 2022 | 157 | 104 | 1,779 |
| 2021 | 174 | 117 | 2,406 |
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
165 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 122 days – 240 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 21 days (108 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 192 days
- Sample
- 105 articles with submission and acceptance dates (356 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
- 5 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 3,190 / EUR 2,590 / GBP 2,290 | — | — |
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 papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Reference style
- APA
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted9
- forgotten gemForgotten Gem: Articles that present a neglected, forgotten, and/or difficult-to-access paper of outmost historical importance to the wider public, and explain …Length not stated
- hypothesisResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings or theoretical developments. Review: Articles that capture the state-of-the-art in a newly emerg…Length not stated
- letterResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings or theoretical developments. Review: Articles that capture the state-of-the-art in a newly emerg…Length not stated
- protocolResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings or theoretical developments. Review: Articles that capture the state-of-the-art in a newly emerg…Length not stated
- registered replicationsRegistered replications: Registered replications follow a similar two-stage format to registered reports, but instead of proposing an original study, they invol…Length not stated
- registered reportResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings or theoretical developments. Review: Articles that capture the state-of-the-art in a newly emerg…Length not stated
- registered reportsRegistered Reports: Registered reports are a type of manuscript proposing original studies that undergo peer review both before and after the study is conducted…Length not stated
- research articleResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings or theoretical developments. Review: Articles that capture the state-of-the-art in a newly emerg…Length not stated
- reviewResearch Article: Articles that report novel empirical findings or theoretical developments. Review: Articles that capture the state-of-the-art in a newly emerg…Length not stated
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
Originality and exclusivity required; approval by co-authors and institution. 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 Conflict of interest
Authors must indicate whether or not they have a financial relationship with the organization that sponsored the research. They should also state that they have full control of all primary data and that they agree to allow the journal to review their data if requested. Therefore the manuscript must be accompanied by the “Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form”. To download this form, please follow t…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data transparency: authors must ensure data, materials, software, or custom code supporting published claims comply with field standards. 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 Ethical standards
Ethics approval statement required, including reference number, per Declaration of Helsinki. Model summary
Manuscripts submitted for publication must contain a statement to the effect that all human and animal studies have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. It should also be stated clearly in the text that all persons gave their informed conse…
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
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Psychological Research, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Authors may suggest or exclude reviewers; suggested reviewers must be independent and verified. Model summary
Authors are welcome to suggest suitable reviewers and/or request the exclusion of certain individuals when they submit their manuscripts.
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 Nature
- Frequency
- 8 issues per year
- ISSN
- 0340-0727
- Electronic ISSN
- 1430-2772
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG
What CAS zone is PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG is in Zone 3 of Psychology, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Psychology, Experimental. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Psychology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.86; CiteScore 4.7, h-index 136.
How long does peer review take at PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG?
Based on the dates recorded on 105 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 165 days (interquartile range 122–240 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 PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Reference style: APA; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Cover letter: Required. 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 PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG based?
Of the 33 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 3%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (12), United States (4) and United Kingdom (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, ERIH PLUS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG open access, and what is the APC?
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH-PSYCHOLOGISCHE FORSCHUNG is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,190.
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: .