Geographic coverage of collaboration networks in the production of scientific articles by graduates stricto sensu in area of Psychology

Abstract

The dissemination of scientific excellence from research centers in Southeast Brazil to less favored regions and the internationalization are identified as a challenge. This bibliometric study analyze regionally the scientific collaboration from the networks formed in the production of articles in co-authorship by the Graduates stricto sensu of Psychology at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais and the spatial configuration by regions of Brazil and abroad. The ScriptLattes software extracted articles from Currículo Lattes   to generate collaboration graphs and geolocation maps providing quantitative and evaluative spatial analysis through the visualization of networks. The 469 full articles published formed a network with 390 actors/authors and a total of 1438 connections by joint co-authorship. In national collaboration, Minas Gerais is the region of most links, although there was considerable collaboration with 13 other states, 07 of which were outside the South/Southeast. In Estado there was a marked concentration in the state capital, Belo Horizonte, however connections were identified with 17 inner cities. A scattering of collaborative activity was identified, based on the presence of Graduates as professors in the Institutions with the greatest number of connections contributing to the reduction of regional asymmetries. The network within University were characterized by high endogeny, with few interactions with other Programs of the Institution. International collaboration was weak with few foreign institutions, prevailing the influence by linguistic similarity that had greater weight than geographical proximity. It demonstrates the importance of Egress studies and Spatial Scientometrics for decision-making by Programs and government agencies.