Gary Klein
Cognitive psychologist and researcher
Gary Klein is a cognitive psychologist who helped pioneer naturalistic decision making, the study of how experts decide in real-world settings.
1 summary 16 min of listening
American Born 1944 in New York City, United States
About Gary Klein
Gary Klein studied experts such as firefighters in their natural environments. He found that laboratory models could not explain decisions made under time pressure and uncertainty. His recognition-primed decision model has influenced how the Marines and Army train officers to make decisions. Klein earned his PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 1969. He taught psychology, worked as a research psychologist for the US Air Force, and in 1978 founded the research company Klein Associates, which he sold in 2005. He has also worked as a Senior Scientist at MacroCognition LLC. He later started ShadowBox LLC, which develops training that helps novices think more like experts. Both the American Psychological Association and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society have made him a Fellow. His book Seeing What Others Don't looks at how people gain insights.