Bibliometric Research on the “Us — Them” Concept in Psychology: Scoping Review

Background. The “Us — Them” concept is a fundamental element of social perception and intergroup interaction. Despite a long history of research on this phenomenon, psychological science maintains an active interest in this topic due to globalization, migration, the development of digital technologies, and the transformation of social structures in the contemporary world.

Objective. The goal is to conduct a bibliometric mapping of the publication landscape concerning the “Us — Them” dichotomy in psychological research from 2000 to 2025, analyzing its publication dynamics, conceptual structure, and key thematic areas.

Methods. Systematic retrieval and thematic synthesis without quality appraisal were applied. The study was carried out within the framework of a review and analytical approach, employing bibliometric mapping methods. The analysis of the Russian-language segment was conducted using the eLibrary.ru platform (N = 607 articles classified under “Psychology”). The English-language segment was analyzed using the Lens.org meta-platform with a multi-level semantic query incorporating disciplinary, procedural, and phenomenological layers (N = 4,424 articles post-filtering). Data visualization and cluster analysis were performed using VOSviewer software.

Results. A steady increase in publication activity was identified in both scientific segments, with a peak during 2020–2024. The findings indicate that English-language research tends toward interdisciplinarity at the intersection of psychology with neuroscience and medicine, whereas Russian-language research is more closely linked with linguistics, pedagogy, and cultural studies. Cluster analysis of keywords revealed four general research directions: 1) social identity and intergroup relations; 2) health psychology and clinical aspects; 3) cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms; and 4) digital identity and interaction in virtual environments. The analysis also noted weak trans-collaborative connectivity among research groups and a parallel development of Russian language and English language conceptual traditions.

Conclusions. The authors conclude that there is a strong positive trend in publication productivity, with dominant research areas in the studies of the “Us — Them” concept including social psychology, clinical psychology, sociology, and philosophy. A notable expansion is observed in the conceptual and categorical framework (and consequently the research problematics) towards interdisciplinary connections and the advancement of information technologies.

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