Digital brain surrounded by glowing dots and lines in a dark room.

When AI “thinks” like us 

New research forms a link between human and machine representations. In this regard, scientists from BIFOLD have developed the AligNet approach in collaboration with Google DeepMind and Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
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Delegation to Artificial Intelligence can increase dishonest behavior

While there is a promise of great productivity gains, a new study published in Nature highlights the risk of unethical behavior from delegating decisions to AI. An international research team, including scientists from our Research Centers ARC and CHM, warns that people request dishonest behavior from AI systems, and that AI systems are prone to comply.
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Our Institute in the media

Here you can find links to selected articles, radio- and TV reports about the activities of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in 2025.
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Join our research – become part of our studies

The Max Planck Institute for Human Development is always looking for adults and children of all ages, who would like to take part in studies.
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About our Institute

Get to know us – our Research Center and Groups, our service structure, and what drives us in our scientific work.


Newsroom
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Tagesspiegel – Ihr Gehirn ist erst mit 32 erwachsen?

December 01, 2025

Brain LIP Media Echo
A new study claims that our brains do not reach maturity until the age of 32. But can this be proven biologically?
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Symbolic image from an online page titled News.

Psychology Today – Critical Ignoring: A Strategy for Information Overload

November 23, 2025

ARC Deliberate Ignorance Media Echo
The abundance of political information can make us feel overwhelmed. Critical ignoring can help with that.
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Digital brain surrounded by glowing dots and lines in a dark room.

When AI “thinks” like us 

November 13, 2025

Artificial Intelligence Press Release
New research forms a link between human and machine representations. In this regard, scientists from BIFOLD have developed the AligNet approach in collaboration with Google DeepMind and Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
more
Symbolic image from an online page titled News.

Zeit Online – Sogar die Macher wissen nicht, wie ihr Chatbot reagiert

November 09, 2025

Artificial Intelligence CHM Media Echo
Many users confide their personal problems and concerns in ChatGPT.  But what might this mean for children and young people in particular?
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Portrait of Iyad Rahwan in front of a white wall with windows. He is wearing a light blue sweater and a dark blue blazer.

Lagrange Prize – CRT Foundation Edition 2025 awarded to Iyad Rahwan

October 29, 2025

Awards CHM
International award recognizing excellence in complex systems and data science
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A gray robot sits at a desk and checks documents. In the background, a scale floats, symbolizing justice.

Automatically disadvantaged? What benefit recipients think about the use of AI in welfare decisions 

September 29, 2025

Artificial Intelligence CHM Press Release
Surveys in the US and the UK on attitudes toward automated decision-making processes in the allocation of social benefits 
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Latest Publications
Journal Article
Müller, L., & Di Benedetto, S. (2025). Immunosenescence and inflammaging: Mechanisms and modulation through diet and lifestyle. Frontiers in Immunology, 16, Article 1708280. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1708280
MPG.PuRe
DOI
publisher-version
Journal Article
Yoneda, T., Lewis, N. A., Pauly, T., Kolodziejczak-Krupp, K., Drewelies, J., Ram, N., Ashe, M. C., Madden, K. M., Gerstorf, D., Haase, C. M., & Hoppmann, C. A. (2025). Better together: Coexperienced positive emotions and cortisol secretion in the daily lives of older couples. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 129(6), 1240–1256. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000564
MPG.PuRe
DOI
Journal Article
Kerbl, L., Rahwan, Z., Hertwig, R., & Ciranka, S. (2025). More than incurious: The development of deliberate ignorance. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 29(12), 1083–1085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2025.09.015
MPG.PuRe
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publisher-version
Journal Article
Papadaki, E., Lin, Z., Werner, A., Brandmaier, A. M., Lindenberger, U., Kühn, S., & Wenger, E. (2025). Expertise-dependent brain network organization during music perception. Human Brain Mapping, 46(17), Article e70420. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.70420
MPG.PuRe
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Latest Events

Exhibition by Francesco Mancori | Radical Dualism

Oct 10, 2025 06:00 PM (Local Time Germany) - Dec 10, 2025 06:00 PM
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Room: Foyer

Exhibition by Elise Garnaut | Concentric Circles in Nature

Nov 20, 2025 06:00 PM (Local Time Germany) - Feb 18, 2026 06:00 PM
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Room: 1. OG, ARC corridor

Mat White, University of Vienna

Dec 9, 2025 03:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Room: Small Conference Room

Bernhard Hommel, Shandong Normal University

Dec 11, 2025 10:00 AM (Local Time Germany)
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Room: Small Conference Room
Further Publications


Further Events



Current Research Results


Cover of the book "Krebs fühlen. Eine Emotionsgeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts"
Cover of the book "Die Politik der Demütigung"
Cover of the book "feeling real"
Cover of the book "Mächtige Gefühle"
Cover of the book "Deliberate Ignorance"
Cover of the book "Classification in the wild"
Cover of the book " The long-term proficiency of early, middle, and late starters learning English als a foreign language at school: A narrative review and empirical stud"
Cover of the book "Anders fühlen"
Cover of the book "Sex - richtig"
Cover of the book "Klick. Wie wir in einer digitalen Welt die Kontrolle behalten und die richtigen Entscheidungen treffen"
Cover of the book "Lost dynamics and the dynamics of loss"
Cover of the book "Fluid Feelings"
Cover of the book "Zur Zukunft der Demokratie"
Cover of the book "Feeling Political"
Cover of the book "Grüne Fahren SUV und Joggen macht unsterblich"
Cover of the book "Jahrbuch Deutsche Einheit 2022"
It shows the Book Cover The Body Unburdened written by Esra Sarioglu. The upper third displays the book title and name, in the lower two thirds is a photo of a woman standing in the midst of police officers and the proud look is led away.
In the center of the picture, an observatory on wheels can be seen, with people standing around it marveling. At the lower left edge, a speaker stands at the lectern and points into the sky.
The title of the book is in the middle in a white box. Outside are many different adjectives in colorful letters.
The title of the book is Does prefrontal connectivity during task switching help or hinder children’s performance
Cover of the Book The integrity of dopaminergic and noradrenergic brain regions is associated with different aspects of late-life memory performance
Cover of the book "The Intelligence of Intuition"
Cover of the book
Cover of the book "Elgar Companion to Herbert Simon"
The cover of Smart Management by Gerd Gigerenzer, Jochen Reb, and Shenghua Luan features a simple and modern design. The title is prominently displayed, highlighting the key theme of the book: "How Simple Heuristics Help Leaders Make Good Decisions in an Uncertain World." The overall aesthetic reflects a professional tone, suitable for a leadership and management guide, with clean lines and minimalistic colors that emphasize clarity and strategic thinking, in line with the book's focus on simplifying decision-making in complex environments.
Cover of the book "Insurgent Fandom"
Cover of the book "Geschichte und Gesellschaft. Zeitschrift für Historische Sozialwissenschaften"
The picture is predominantly in red. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan can be seen in side profile. A dark column runs through the center of the picture. The title of the book is in the center. A person looking up and bright lights can be seen in the background.
Cover of the book "Environmental Neuroscience"
The image shows the dummy from the cover From Animal Models to Human Individuality: Integrative Approaches to the Study of Brain Plasticity
Cover of the book "Verfassungsgefühle. Die Deutschen und ihre Staatsgrundgesetze"
Cover Anti-Autocracy-Handbook
Propaganda and Disinformation

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Current Job Openings

Current Job Openings

We are looking for qualified and motivated professionals to join our Research Center and Services. Here you can find all open positions along with details about responsibilities and requirements.



 
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Equal Opportunities

The Max Planck Institute for Human Development is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all genders. We take both organizational and personnel measures to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life and to promote women’s careers. Our aim is to ensure a positive environment that promotes and supports excellence.
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Research Schools

The Max Planck Institute for Human Development provides many opportunities for predocs. Among others, the two International Max Planck Research Schools at the Institute as well as the Max Planck School of Cognition provide an excellent training context.

 
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