By Rebecca J. Reichard
Claremont Graduate University
Daniel J. Smith
Center for Creative Leadership
James B. Avey
Central Washington University
Ketan H. Mhatre
University of Redlands
Summary
The study of Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap) has faced criticism since its emergence in the early 2000s. Critics argue that PsyCap research lacks solid theoretical foundations, rigorous methodologies, and suffers from cronyism. This study uses bibliometric analysis of 937 primary documents, 28,428 secondary documents, 9,714 sources, and 18,247 authors to examine these critiques. The researchers conducted document, source, and author co-citation analyses, along with a content analysis of the 100 most frequently co-cited secondary documents.
Key findings:
- PsyCap is built on solid theoretical foundations in psychology from peer-reviewed journals.
- Research methodologies are typical for organizational behavior, with an emphasis on correlational designs.
- The field shows some insularity but includes contributions from various authors and journals.
The study concludes by discussing implications for applying positive psychology principles and recommendations for future PsyCap research.
Citations
Reichard, R. J., Smith, D. J., Avey, J. B., & Mhatre, K. H. (2024). A bibliometric study of positive psychological capital: investigating intellectual foundations through co-citation and content analyses. Management Review Quarterly, 1-31.
