A 2004 review of literature by Gobet, de Voogt & Retschitzki shows that relatively little scientific research has been carried out on the psychology of Go, compared to other traditional board games such as chess and Mancala. Computer Go research has shown that given the large search tree, knowledge and pattern recognition are more important in Go than in other strategy games, such as Chess. A study of the effects of age on Go playing has shown that mental decline is milder with strong players than with weaker players.

According to the review of Gobet and colleagues, the pattern of brain activity observed with techniques such as PET and fMRI does not show large differences between Go and chess. On the other hand, a study by Xiangchuan Chen et al. showed greater activation in the right hemisphere among Go players than among chess players. There is some evidence to suggest a correlation between playing board games (including Go) and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.