Development and structure of innovative research in psychology in Russia (2002–2021)

Relevance. The results of innovation activity are usually judged by expert assessments and data from scientometric analysis of scientific documents. For these purposes, articles published in scientific journals, materials of conferences, congresses, patents for inventions, monographs are used. As a rule, in foreign scientometrics dissertations are referred to a low level of evidence, and in a number of scientific journals it is not recommended to make references to dissertations. This probably applies to foreign dissertations. On the contrary, in Russia, main dissertation provisions must be published in scientific peer-reviewed journals, for example, for applicants for candidate’s degree in psychology, there must be at least 3 such articles, and 15 for doctor’s degree. Besides, a socalled preliminary defense (i.e. public review of the work) is conducted at the relevant institution and a conclusion is made about possibility of submitting the dissertation to the dissertation council. In addition to dissertations issued in a limited number, dissertation abstracts are sent to the leading libraries of the country and some institutions according to the list. Dissertation research is widely accessible on websites of the relevant institutions. Opponents are appointed in the dissertation council, and public hearings of applicants for scientific degrees are held. Conclusions of dissertation councils are approved by the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. Thus, in Russia, a dissertation research undergoes a multi-level detailed examination compared to articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Intention: Analysis of the structure and development of innovations in psychology in Russia based on abstracts of dissertations on psychological specialties for 20 years (2002–2021).

Methodology. The analysis of innovations was carried out based on abstracts of dissertations in the collections of the Russian State Library (RSL). Of note, the RSL registers dissertations by the year of publication, and the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia – by the date of dissertation defense; hence, annual flows may differ. Arrays of abstracts were grouped by psychological specialties of the Nomenclature of specialties of scientific workers (order of the Ministry of Education and Science No. 1027 of October 23, 2017).

Results and Discussion. In 2002–2021, 9687 abstracts of dissertations on psychological specialties were found in the RSL. The average annual number of papers was 484 ± 62. Psychological dissertations accounted for about 2 % of all approved dissertations in Russia. With a high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.86), the polynomial trend of psychological abstracts shows a decrease; papers in all psychological specialties also decreased. In the structure of psychological innovations (according to the abstracts of dissertations in Russia), studies in general psychology, personality psychology and the history of psychology comprised 20.4 %; psychophysiology – 4.2 %, labor psychology, engineering psychology and ergonomics – 6.5 %, medical (clinical) psychology – 7.4 %, social psychology – 16.4 %, legal psychology – 2.6 %, educational psychology -–23.6 %, correctional psychology – 2.7 %, political psychology – 0.9 %, development psychology and acmeology – 15.6 %.

Conclusion. The analysis of innovative directions in psychological science based on dissertation research made it possible to identify the structure and dynamics of innovations in psychology in Russia. These data can serve as the initial analytical array for scientometric analysis of publications in psychology in the future, for example, in 5–10 years or more.

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