Is evolutionary psychology a scientific revolution? A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Abstract In recent times, David Buss (2020) has claimed that Evolutionary Psychology (EP) represents a genuine "scientific revolution”. This paper aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the prevalence of the evolutionary approach in Psychology. EP (broadly defined) is juxtaposed with its classical counterpart, the Standard Social Science Model (SSSM). According to Kuhn's framework, a discipline undergoing a scientific revolution evolves into the dominant school of thought, eclipsing all other theories. The analysis uncovers that the SSSM enjoys significantly greater prominence than EP and is advancing at a swifter pace. The data also indicates a “cultural evolutionary” approach is somewhat lacking (i.e. cross-fertilization between EP and SSSM is not evident). Despite sharing the aspiration for an evolutionary revolution in psychology, it is contended that, for this purpose, a prudent approach involves recognizing the current status of affairs, envisioning realistic change, and building a more methodologically diverse research community.