Exploring the structure of relative age effects research using citation network analysis
Anna M Froude1, David J Hancock2, Colin D McLaren3
1Faculty of Science Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada.
Journal of Sports Sciences
|June 20, 2024
Summary
Relative age effects (RAEs) show older individuals gain advantages in sports and other areas. This study found RAEs research is growing but lacks connections between studies and authors.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Research on relative age effects (RAEs) consistently demonstrates advantages for older individuals in sports and other domains.
- The increasing volume of RAEs studies necessitates systematic knowledge synthesis to understand the field's structure and evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a cross-disciplinary citation network analysis of RAEs literature.
- To enhance understanding of RAEs citation structures and the interconnectivity of RAEs studies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 484 RAEs articles published before 2022, sourced from Web of Science.
- Bibliometric analysis including citation network analysis to map conceptual and intellectual structures.
Main Results:
- The field shows a 12.6% annual growth rate, with articles published in 151 journals by 1,180 authors.
- Three theoretical/review papers exerted the most influence; research primarily focuses on sport performance, maturity, and competition.
- Identified three distinct article clusters and 13 authorship clusters, with limited inter-cluster connections, indicating a productive yet fragmented field.
Conclusions:
- RAEs research is expanding but exhibits low interconnectivity among authors and papers.
- Influential papers and authors play a significant role, but the field could benefit from increased collaboration and integration.
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