Fernand Gobet

London School of Economics and Political Science

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Fernand Gobet is a leading cognitive scientist whose research spans the psychology of expertise, decision-making, and computational modeling. His work has fundamentally shaped our understanding of how experts—particularly in chess and other complex domains—acquire and apply knowledge. Gobet is best known for developing the "template theory" of expertise, which refines classic chunking theories by proposing that experts build flexible, hierarchical mental structures. His most-cited paper, "Magnitude-sensitivity: rethinking decision-making" (2021, 33 citations), challenges traditional utility-based models by arguing that human choices are driven by a sensitivity to the magnitude of outcomes, not just their probabilities. This work has broad implications for behavioral economics and cognitive psychology. With over 10,000 citations across his career, Gobet’s impact is evident in fields from artificial intelligence to education. He has also co-authored influential books on expertise and chess psychology, and his computational models, such as CHREST, remain foundational for simulating expert performance. His research continues to inspire new approaches to understanding human cognition and decision-making.