Labs at the Institute

As infants and young children are not yet able to express their thoughts in words, the BabyLab is set up to allow their behaviors and reactions to be observed as closely as possible. The researchers use a variety of techniques to record precisely what children look at, what they reach for, and the kinds of behaviors they show in carefully crafted experimental situations. [more]

Billions of nerve cells work together in the brain to coordinate sensory input, thoughts, and emotions at any given moment. The nerve cells communicate with each other by means of electrochemical transmission. Electroencephalography (EEG) makes it possible to record the electrical activity of clusters of nerve cells as reflected in changes in electric potential at various locations on the scalp. [more]

Do younger and older people use the same brain regions to perform cognitive tasks? Can brain activity and structure be altered by mental or physical training? Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development investigate these questions using the Institute’s magnetic resonance scanner. [more]

What decisions do people make when faced with sudden dangers in road traffic? Which routes do they use to escape burning buildings? How does the weather affect people’s driving? In 2018, a Virtual Reality Lab was set up at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, allowing researchers to investigate these kinds of situations as realistically as possible but under controlled conditions. [more]