Journal of Economic Psychology is the leading journal in behavioral economics (and economic psychology)

The new Impact Factors for scientific journals have just been published (Journal Citation Reports, two-year citation window, reference year 2021). The Journal of Economic Psychology has jumped up to an IF of 3.00 (from 2.04 last year and 1.72 two years ago). With apologies for boasting, we are now the leader of the pack in behavioral economics, economic psychology, and judgment and decision making, having surpassed excellent journals as Experimental Economics (IF of 2.39, last year 2.37) and Judgment and Decision Making (IF of 2.5, last year 2.54). As in previous years, we are ahead of thematically-related journals as JEBO (IF 2.00, last year 1.64), JBEE (IF 1.83, last year 1.38), and JNPE (IF 1.28). We have also surpassed solid journals as the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making (IF 2.508). See the graph!

Many journals have gone up this year due to Clarivate’s adjustment of the IF formula. However, we have also gone up in relative terms, beyond the comparison with the most-closely related journals. We are now at the 68% percentile in the category of all economics journals (SSCI; quartile Q2), having jumped ahead 53 positions. That’s right: we have surpassed 53 economics journals (of around 280 in this category). We are also listed in the Psychology/Multidisciplinary category, where we are now also in quartile Q2, having overtaken 19 other journals (of the around 150 in this category).

As Co-Editor of the Journal since 2019 (just renewed until 2024), I receive this news with pride and thanks. Pride in our editorial board, the association behind the journal (IAREP), and every researcher which has contributed to this success by choosing us as the best venue for an excellent contribution, by refereeing timely for us, and, most importantly, by reading what we publish and learning from it (and hence citing it!). To all of them, my thanks.

Here are some other data points on the journal, straight out of this year’s Editor Report at our last conference. We receive around 700 submissions per year and reject around 90% (around 75% of submissions are desk-rejected). The average time to a desk decision is 1.4 weeks, the average time to a first decision, including R&Rs and rejections on the basis of reports, is 14.1 weeks, and the average time to a final decision (typically after revisions by the authors) is 28.6 weeks. We have particular rules for submissions, so please do not submit without carefully reading our Guide for Authors. It is also a good idea to check our 2020 Editorial. And, if you want to publish with us, please also read this post. (And maybe also other posts in this blog.)

As an empirical journal, for us, data is king. And now we have hard, incontrovertible data: we are the leading journal in behavioral economics, experimental psychology, and related fields (with apologies and best wishes to all other excellent journals in the area!). Let’s keep up the good work!