How Economists Think: A 2x2 Expert–novice Eyetracking Study of Goal-Mediated Action In A Simulation Videogame

This study used eye-tracking to investigate how expert economists and novices navigated a dynamic economics problem space. Findings show experts selectively attended to underlying economic structures, while novices focused on surface-level tasks. This research establishes an empirical foundation for understanding economic thinking as a tool-mediated cognitive process.