2026 Robert A. Bell: Social Sciences and Humanities Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Social Sciences and Humanities	52	2448	2231	1191	1071	129	10409

Research.com Recognitions

1976 - Fellow of American Physical Society (APS)
1954 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
1882 - Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

Overview

Robert A. Bell is affiliated with the University of California, Davis in the United States and has contributed extensively to the social sciences, particularly in areas intersecting sociology, political science, literature, health, communication, and clinical psychology.

Their recent publications focus primarily on health communication, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to public health and media studies. Notable papers include:

Predictors of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19: Results of a nationwide survey (2021, Vaccine)
Parental COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the United States (2022, Public Health Reports)
A meta-analysis of the impact of point of view on narrative processing and persuasion in health messaging (2021, Psychology and Health)
When Media Health Stories Conflict: Test of the Contradictory Health Information Processing (CHIP) Model (2021, Journal of Health Communication)
From Network Positions to Language Use: Understanding the Effects of Brokerage and Closure Structures from a Linguistic Perspective (2020, Health Communication)

Their frequent coauthors indicate collaboration with researchers who share interests in health communication and social influence, including Meng Chen, Thais M. Zimbres, Jeanette B. Ruiz, Lisa M. Soederberg Miller, and Jingwen Zhang.

Meng Chen
Thais M. Zimbres
Jeanette B. Ruiz
Lisa M. Soederberg Miller
Jingwen Zhang

Robert A. Bell's work is published predominantly in venues that focus on health communication and public health, such as the Journal of Health Communication, Vaccine, Public Health Reports, Psychology and Health, and Health Communication.

Journal of Health Communication
Vaccine
Public Health Reports
Psychology and Health
Health Communication

Their research encompasses several key topics including:

Misinformation and Its Impacts
Media Influence and Health
Climate Change Communication and Perception
Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
COVID-19 and Mental Health
SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
Media Studies and Communication

The subfields of study reflect a blend of social sciences and health-related disciplines, with a focus on sociology and political science, literature and literary theory, health, communication, and clinical psychology.

Sociology and Political Science
Literature and Literary Theory
Health
Communication
Clinical Psychology

Robert A. Bell has been recognized with fellowships from several scientific societies, including the American Physical Society in 1976, the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1954, and the Royal Society of Canada in 1882, indicating a long-standing engagement with scientific communities across multiple disciplines.

Best Publications

Predictors of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19: Results of a nationwide survey.

Jeanette B. Ruiz;Robert A. Bell

617
Citations
Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising: trends, impact, and implications

Michael S. Wilkes;Robert A. Bell;Richard L. Kravitz

537
Citations
Patient trust in the physician: relationship to patient requests

David H Thom;Richard L Kravitz;Robert A Bell;Edward Krupat

503
Citations
The affinity-seeking function of communication

Robert A. Bell;John A. Daly

449
Citations
When physicians and patients think alike: patient-centered beliefs and their impact on satisfaction and trust.

Edward Krupat;Robert A. Bell;Richard L. Kravitz;David Thom

365
Citations
Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising and the public.

Robert A. Bell;Richard L. Kravitz;Michael S. Wilkes

328
Citations
Unmet Expectations for Care and the Patient-physician Relationship

Robert A Bell;Richard L Kravitz;David Thom;Edward Krupat

313
Citations
Online health information seeking: the influence of age, information trustworthiness, and search challenges.

Lisa M. Soederberg Miller;Robert A. Bell

308
Citations
Beliefs about control in the physician-patient relationship: effect on communication in medical encounters.

Richard L. Street;Edward Krupat;Robert A. Bell;Richard L. Kravitz

288
Citations
Compliments: A Descriptive Taxonomy

Mark L. Knapp;Robert Hopper;Robert A. Bell

275
Citations
Affinity-Maintenance in Marriage and Its Relationship to Women's Marital Satisfaction.

Robert A. Bell;John A. Daly;M. Christina Gonzalez

250
Citations
The educational value of consumer-targeted prescription drug print advertising.

Robert A Bell;Michael S Wilkes;Richard L Kravitz

248
Citations
Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising, 1989-1998. A content analysis of conditions, targets, inducements, and appeals.

Robert A. Bell;Richard L. Kravitz;Michael S. Wilkes

203
Citations
Advertisement-induced prescription drug requests: patients' anticipated reactions to a physician who refuses.

Robert A. Bell;Michael S. Wilkes;Richard L. Kravitz

197
Citations
Plans and the Initiation of Social Relationships

Charles R. Berger;Robert A. Bell

189
Citations
The Prepared Patient: Information Seeking of Online Support Group Members Before Their Medical Appointments

Xinyi Hu;Robert A Bell;Richard L Kravitz;Sharon Orrange

183
Citations
Suffering in Silence: Reasons for Not Disclosing Depression in Primary Care

Robert A. Bell;Peter Franks;Paul R. Duberstein;Ronald M. Epstein

174
Citations
Idiomatic Communication and Interpersonal Solidarity in Friends’ Relational Cultures

Robert A. Bell;Jonathan G. Healey

172
Citations
Parental COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the United States

Unknown

172
Citations
Broadening the deception construct

Robert Hopper;Robert A. Bell

171
Citations
Direct observation of requests for clinical services in office practice: what do patients want and do they get it?

Richard L. Kravitz;Robert A. Bell;Rahman Azari;Steven Kelly-Reif

161
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Edward Krupat Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Paul R. Duberstein Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Michael S Wilkes University of California, Davis

Aaron B. Rochlen The University of Texas at Austin

Michael E. Roloff Northwestern University

Paul Haidet Pennsylvania State University

Ruth E. Levine The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Gerald S. Lazarus Duke University

Siyue Li Chinese Academy of Sciences

Carol E. Franz University of California, San Diego

External Links

Personal website of Robert A. Bell Google Scholar page

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