Sketching the first 45 years of the journal Psychophysiology (1964-2008): a co-word-based analysis

Abstract

This article presents a keyword-based bibliometric study of the thematic evolution of the journal Psychophysiology since its first publication in 1964 until 2008. Bibliometric maps showing the most relevant associations among the main topics treated by the journal are provided separately for the periods 1964-1978, 1979-1988, 1989-1998, and 1999-2008. These maps offer insight into the conceptual structure of psychophysiology as a research discipline and help to visualize the division of the field into several interconnected subfields. Bibliometric maps created by co-word analysis can be used by both experts and novices to understand the current state of the art of a scientific field and to predict where future research could lead.