Alexander Poddiakov

Alexander Poddiakov is a Tenured Professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University) in Moscow, where he has maintained faculty status since 2003. He holds dual appointments as a Leading Research Fellow at the International Laboratory for Logic, Linguistics and Formal Philosophy and as a Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences/School of Psychology. His academic trajectory demonstrates consistent contributions across psychology, education, and mathematical reasoning, with particular expertise in complex cognitive systems and non-transitive relationships.

Poddiakov earned his Candidate of Sciences (PhD equivalent) in Pedagogical Psychology from Lomonosov Moscow State University in 1990, followed by a Doctor of Sciences degree from the Russian Academy of Education Institute of Psychology in 2001. He was promoted to Professor in 2009 and achieved tenured status at HSE University in 2011, reflecting his substantial scholarly contributions. His educational background in psychology forms the foundation for his interdisciplinary research spanning cognitive science, educational theory, and formal systems analysis.

Professor Poddiakov's research program centers on exploratory behavior, complex problem solving, and complicology—the systematic study of creating, diagnosing, and managing difficulties. His groundbreaking work on intransitivity of superiority relationships (where A beats B, B beats C, but C beats A) challenges conventional assumptions about rationality across multiple domains including biology, economics, and game theory. He has developed innovative methodological approaches using interactive exploratory objects to study how individuals navigate complex problem spaces characterized by uncertainty and conflicting information. His theoretical contributions extend to 'Trojan horse' teaching methodologies, evolutionary aspects of creating difficulties for others, and the psychological implications of non-transitive relationships in educational contexts.

His publication record reveals a consistent intellectual trajectory examining how humans process complexity, uncertainty, and paradoxical situations. A defining theme across his work is the investigation of intransitive relationships and their implications for decision-making, educational practices, and cognitive development. His research spans theoretical foundations, experimental psychology, educational applications, and practical implications for understanding competitive dynamics in social and professional contexts, with increasing attention to digital environments and AI systems.

• Best Teacher Award at HSE University (2024, 2015, 2012)
• Best Monograph on Psychology Award at the All-Russian Competition of Psychological Books (2007) for "Psychology of competition in teaching/learning"
• Extensive editorial board service for journals including "Voprosy Psikhologii," "Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science," and "Psychology. Journal of the Higher School of Economics"

Professor Poddiakov actively supervises doctoral students, with particular focus on strategies for creating tasks that help and counteract learning in competitive gaming environments. His teaching portfolio is remarkably diverse, spanning Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Management, Law, History, and Mathematics programs across multiple HSE campuses. This interdisciplinary approach reflects his theoretical perspective that cognitive processes cannot be fully understood within narrow disciplinary boundaries. His courses, including "Psychology of Thinking and Reasoning" and "Psychology of Communication," emphasize practical applications of theoretical concepts in real-world contexts.

As a Leading Research Fellow at the International Laboratory for Logic, Linguistics and Formal Philosophy, Poddiakov contributes to cutting-edge research at the intersection of formal systems and human cognition. His work with interactive exploratory objects represents an innovative methodology for studying cognitive processes through tangible, manipulable systems. Current research directions include examining the implications of intransitive relationships in AI systems, the psychology of knowledge sharing between researchers from rival nations, and the development of educational tools for teaching complex problem-solving skills in the digital age.