Global Trends and Hotspots of Exercise Psychology: A Bibliometric Analysis from 1988 to 2025

Aim: This chapter provides a bibliometric analysis of global research trends in exercise psychology from its inception through 2025. The goal is to map the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of the field.

Methods: Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, focusing on the five journals with the highest impact factor that include “exercise” and “psychology” in the title. Bibliometric techniques were used to analyze publication trends, author productivity, international collaboration, citation patterns, and keyword dynamics.

Results: A total of 2,071 publications, 1,885 empirical and 186 review articles, authored by 5,313 researchers across 68 countries, were analyzed. The United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia accounted for 90% of the total output and citations based on researcher affiliations. Keyword clustering and burst analysis revealed four core themes: physical activity, psychological constructs, methodological approaches, and population-specific topics. Thematic evolution followed three phases: measurement and affective responses, theoretical expansion, and a recent focus on mental health and executive functions.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the increasing interdisciplinarity and applied relevance of exercise psychology. The field has evolved into a dynamic, multidisciplinary research domain. Future progress would benefit from enhanced inclusivity, methodological rigor, and global collaboration to address pressing societal and health-related challenges.