Structural equivalence in a psychology journal network

Two journal‐to‐journal matrices for psychology in 1950 and 1960 are analyzed in terms of structural equivalence. Structurally nonequivalent positions have a strong correspondence with a categorization based on the intended audiences and objectives of these journals, supporting the hypothesis that journals of a discipline function as a status‐role relational system. The hypothesis that interdisciplinary journals are distant from journals of a field is also supported. However, the hypothesis that journal networks have a core‐periphery structure is not supported. The network of psychological journals has a discernable core, but not a clear core‐periphery structure. Some propositions concerning the causes and consequences of the structure of journal‐to‐journal networks for fields are advanced.