World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Michael Tomasello

Michael Tomasello

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Best Scientists
2025
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Psychology
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Best Scientists

D-Index
203
Citations
171693
World Ranking
258
National Ranking
169

Psychology

D-Index
206
Citations
175830
World Ranking
8
National Ranking
2

Michael Tomasello publication distribution in Psychology in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Psychology in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Michael Tomasello sits on this spectrum.

31–40 publications: 6 scientists 41–50 publications: 52 scientists 51–60 publications: 138 scientists 61–70 publications: 299 scientists 71–80 publications: 461 scientists 81–90 publications: 605 scientists 91–100 publications: 713 scientists 101–110 publications: 736 scientists 111–120 publications: 686 scientists 121–130 publications: 670 scientists 131–140 publications: 644 scientists 141–150 publications: 597 scientists 151–160 publications: 576 scientists 161–170 publications: 477 scientists 171–180 publications: 450 scientists 181–190 publications: 397 scientists 191–200 publications: 343 scientists 201–210 publications: 328 scientists 211–220 publications: 313 scientists 221–230 publications: 283 scientists 231–240 publications: 226 scientists 241–250 publications: 196 scientists 251–260 publications: 201 scientists 261–270 publications: 171 scientists 271–280 publications: 151 scientists 281–290 publications: 139 scientists 291–300 publications: 113 scientists 301–310 publications: 102 scientists 311–320 publications: 100 scientists 321–330 publications: 76 scientists 331–340 publications: 92 scientists 341–350 publications: 85 scientists 351–360 publications: 69 scientists 361–370 publications: 71 scientists 371–380 publications: 63 scientists 381–390 publications: 58 scientists 391–400 publications: 57 scientists 401–410 publications: 43 scientists 411–420 publications: 33 scientists 421–430 publications: 50 scientists 431–440 publications: 41 scientists 441–450 publications: 32 scientists 451–460 publications: 27 scientists 461–470 publications: 28 scientists 471–480 publications: 25 scientists 481–490 publications: 28 scientists 491–500 publications: 20 scientists 501–510 publications: 23 scientists 511–520 publications: 26 scientists 521–530 publications: 17 scientists 531–540 publications: 21 scientists 541–550 publications: 14 scientists 551–560 publications: 16 scientists 561–570 publications: 10 scientists 571–580 publications: 22 scientists 581–590 publications: 9 scientists 591–600 publications: 14 scientists 601–610 publications: 9 scientists 611–620 publications: 11 scientists 621–630 publications: 4 scientists 631–640 publications: 7 scientists 641–650 publications: 5 scientists 651–660 publications: 10 scientists 661–670 publications: 8 scientists 671–680 publications: 8 scientists 681–690 publications: 4 scientists 691–700 publications: 3 scientists 701–704 publications: 4 scientists 705+ publications: 100 scientists
31 publications 705+

This scientist: 871 publications — 100th percentile

100% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 705 publications or more.

Michael Tomasello D-index placement in Psychology in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Psychology scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Michael Tomasello sits on this spectrum.

30–31 D-Index: 398 scientists 32–33 D-Index: 702 scientists 34–35 D-Index: 671 scientists 36–37 D-Index: 659 scientists 38–39 D-Index: 641 scientists 40–41 D-Index: 671 scientists 42–43 D-Index: 617 scientists 44–45 D-Index: 558 scientists 46–47 D-Index: 495 scientists 48–49 D-Index: 487 scientists 50–51 D-Index: 445 scientists 52–53 D-Index: 390 scientists 54–55 D-Index: 408 scientists 56–57 D-Index: 345 scientists 58–59 D-Index: 325 scientists 60–61 D-Index: 321 scientists 62–63 D-Index: 248 scientists 64–65 D-Index: 290 scientists 66–67 D-Index: 218 scientists 68–69 D-Index: 219 scientists 70–71 D-Index: 215 scientists 72–73 D-Index: 183 scientists 74–75 D-Index: 169 scientists 76–77 D-Index: 132 scientists 78–79 D-Index: 137 scientists 80–81 D-Index: 120 scientists 82–83 D-Index: 112 scientists 84–85 D-Index: 86 scientists 86–87 D-Index: 101 scientists 88–89 D-Index: 83 scientists 90–91 D-Index: 77 scientists 92–93 D-Index: 70 scientists 94–95 D-Index: 78 scientists 96–97 D-Index: 58 scientists 98–99 D-Index: 53 scientists 100–101 D-Index: 57 scientists 102–103 D-Index: 48 scientists 104–105 D-Index: 53 scientists 106–107 D-Index: 46 scientists 108–109 D-Index: 24 scientists 110–111 D-Index: 35 scientists 112–113 D-Index: 27 scientists 114–115 D-Index: 32 scientists 116–117 D-Index: 31 scientists 118–119 D-Index: 22 scientists 120–121 D-Index: 16 scientists 122–123 D-Index: 24 scientists 124–125 D-Index: 18 scientists 126–127 D-Index: 11 scientists 128–129 D-Index: 19 scientists 130–131 D-Index: 10 scientists 132–133 D-Index: 16 scientists 134–135 D-Index: 10 scientists 136–137 D-Index: 12 scientists 138–139 D-Index: 8 scientists 140–141 D-Index: 5 scientists 142–143 D-Index: 12 scientists 144+ D-Index: 98 scientists
30 D-Index 144+

This scientist: 206 D-Index — 100th percentile

100% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 144 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Psychology in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Best Scientists Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Psychology in United States Leader Award
  • 2023 - Research.com Psychology in United States Leader Award
  • 2022 - David E. Rumelhart Prize for Contributions to the Theoretical Foundations of Human Cognition
  • 2022 - Research.com Psychology in United States Leader Award
  • 2017 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2017 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 2015 - APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology, American Psychological Association
  • 2010 - Max Planck Research Award Evolution
  • 2007 - Mind & Brain Prize, University and Polytechnic of Turin
  • 2006 - Jean Nicod Prize, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
  • 2001 - German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina - Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina – Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
  • 1997 - Fellow of John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Overview

Michael Tomasello is affiliated with Duke University in the United States and has contributed extensively to the field of psychology, with a particular focus on developmental and social aspects of cognition. Their work encompasses a range of subfields including Developmental and Educational Psychology, Social Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Sociology and Political Science, and Experimental and Cognitive Psychology.

The scientist's research has contributed notably to several main topics, notably:

  • Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Cultural Differences and Values
  • Primate Behavior and Ecology
  • Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
  • Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
  • Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Frequent co-authors in their research include:

  • Josep Call
  • Wouter Wolf
  • Robert Hepach
  • Cathal O'Madagain
  • Bahar Köymen

Michael Tomasello has published regularly in multiple venues, with a recurrent presence in:

  • Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
  • Cognitive Development
  • Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
  • PLoS ONE
  • Child Development

Recent papers authored or co-authored by Michael Tomasello include:

  • The adaptive origins of uniquely human sociality (2020), Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
  • The coordination of attention and action in great apes and humans (2022), Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences

Other recent relevant papers in which they were not the primary author but contributed to the field include:

  • Shared intentionality, reason-giving and the evolution of human culture (2021), Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences
  • The Early Ontogeny of Reason Giving (2020), Child Development Perspectives
  • Human children, but not great apes, become socially closer by sharing an experience in common ground (2020), Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

In addition to articles, Michael Tomasello has published books with reputable publishers:

  • The Gestural Communication of Apes and Monkeys (2020), Psychology Press eBooks
  • The Evolution of Agency (2022), The MIT Press

Throughout their career, Michael Tomasello has received several awards and honors, including:

  • David E. Rumelhart Prize for Contributions to the Theoretical Foundations of Human Cognition (2022)
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2017)
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2017)
  • APA Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology, American Psychological Association (2015)
  • Max Planck Research Award in Evolution (2010)
  • Mind & Brain Prize, University and Polytechnic of Turin (2007)
  • Jean Nicod Prize, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) (2006)
  • German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina - Psychology and Cognitive Sciences (2001)
  • Fellow of John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (1997)

Best Publications

  • The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition

    Michael Tomasello

  • Understanding and sharing intentions: The origins of cultural cognition

    Michael Tomasello;Malinda Carpenter;Josep Call;Tanya Behne

  • Constructing a Language: A Usage-Based Theory of Language Acquisition

    Michael Tomasello

  • Origins of Human Communication

    Michael Tomasello

  • Social Cognition, joint attention and communicative Competence from 9 to 15 months of age

    Malinda Carpenter;Katherine Nagell;Michael Tomasello

  • In search of the uniquely human

    Michael Tomasello;Malinda Carpenter;Josep Call;Tanya Behne

  • Joint Attention and Early Language.

    Michael Tomasello;Michael Jeffrey Farrar

  • Joint attention as social cognition.

    Michael Tomasello

  • A Natural History of Human Thinking

    Michael Tomasello

  • Why We Cooperate

    Michael Tomasello

  • First Verbs: A Case Study of Early Grammatical Development

    Michael Tomasello

  • Altruistic Helping in Human Infants and Young Chimpanzees

    Felix Warneken;Michael Tomasello

  • Humans Have Evolved Specialized Skills of Social Cognition: The Cultural Intelligence Hypothesis

    Esther Herrmann;Josep Call;María Victoria Hernández-Lloreda;Brian Hare

  • Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind? 30 years later.

    Josep Call;Michael Tomasello

  • The Domestication of Social Cognition in Dogs

    Brian Hare;Michelle Brown;Christina Williamson;Michael Tomasello

  • Ratcheting up the ratchet: on the evolution of cumulative culture

    Claudio Tennie;Josep Call;Michael Tomasello

  • Chimpanzees know what conspecifics do and do not see

    Brian Hare;Josep Call;Bryan Agnetta;Michael Tomasello

  • Human-like social skills in dogs?

    Brian Hare;Michael Tomasello

  • A new look at infant pointing.

    Michael Tomasello;Malinda Carpenter;Ulf Liszkowski

  • Fourteen- through 18-month-old infants differentially imitate intentional and accidental actions

    Malinda Carpenter;Nameera Akhtar;Michael Tomasello

Frequent Co-Authors

Josep Call
Josep Call University of St Andrews
Malinda Carpenter
Malinda Carpenter University of St Andrews
Elena Lieven
Elena Lieven University of Manchester
Brian Hare
Brian Hare Duke University
Felix Warneken
Felix Warneken University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Esther Herrmann
Esther Herrmann University of Portsmouth
Hannes Rakoczy
Hannes Rakoczy University of Göttingen
Amrisha Vaish
Amrisha Vaish University of Virginia
Anna L. Theakston
Anna L. Theakston University of Manchester
Daniel B. M. Haun
Daniel B. M. Haun Max Planck Society

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