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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Inequalities in online discourse

December 10, 2025

Researchers conducted a Reddit field experiment to better understand the dynamics of online debates.

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Online discussions: Whose voices are heard?

December 10, 2025

ARC Press Release Society Soziale Medien

Field experiment on Reddit examines what distinguishes passive from active users and tests interventions designed to get more people to join the conversation.

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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?

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.

When AI “thinks” like us

November 13, 2025

Artificial Intelligence Press Release

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?

Latest Publications

Journal Article

Frevert, U. (2025). Honour and humiliation: Emotional economies of war and defeat. Nations and Nationalism, 31(4), 809–820. https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.13089

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publisher-version

Journal Article

Frevert, U. (2025). Gute Gefühle für unsichere Zeiten: Hoffnung, Vertrauen, Zuversicht. H-Soz-Kult, Article 10.12.2025.

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Journal Article

Gigerenzer, G. (2025). Two kinds of bias. Mind & Society, 24, 193–207. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11299-025-00362-9

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Latest Events

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

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 "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 "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 "Zur Zukunft der Demokratie"

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 "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 "Geschichte und Gesellschaft. Zeitschrift für Historische Sozialwissenschaften"

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"

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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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.

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.