Social Sciences

 

Study shows the extent to which teenagers are bypassing Australia's social media ban – and why more

Recent study examines differences in male and female fertility more

On the death of the philosopher who served as director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of the Scientific-Technical World from 1971 to 1981 more

Researchers examine the long-term demographic consequences of the Colombian armed conflict for those who survived the violence more

In Germany, the majority is unaware of their digital rights more

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

As part of its scientific realignment, the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity is being renamed the ‘Max Planck Institute for Political and Social Sciences’ more

How Political Narratives are distributed on Twitter/X more

When people delegated tasks to machine agents–whether voluntarily or in a forced manner–they were more likely to cheat more

The Max Planck Society and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation are this year honouring three researchers who have achieved extraordinary things at the boundaries of law, political science, and history more

The number of people living in liberal democracies is declining. The democracies that remain, meanwhile, are fragile, not least because many people view politics and political parties with scepticism. Steffen Mau, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Political and Social Science in Göttingen, analyses the many reasons behind these developments and suggests how democracies might retain or regain their appeal. more

A look back at a year of research with many highlights more

What makes a truly circular economy so difficult to achieve – technically, economically, and socially? Kai Sundmacher, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, and Dietmar Harhoff, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, share their insights in a joint interview. They discuss the incentives we need, the importance of durable products, and how even small decisions can drive big change. more

Social media shapes public debate, sways elections, and frames how we see the world. While some demand tighter regulation, others push for less. An interdisciplinary team is investigating how the EU is governing the digital public space – and pushing for stronger diversity measures along the way. more

The year 2024 saw Max Planck scientists publishing exceptional research across disciplines. We have selected twelve highlights to share more

Researchers analyze disinformation in social media and develop ways to promote facts and fair dialogue online more

In his book, Steven Vertovec reevaluates social identities more

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2022 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

The crisis in Ukraine has driven up energy prices, obscuring a dilemma that we’re likely to face in the near future - the use of fossil fuels will become more attractive again for countries that cannot afford or do not want to make the transition to renewable energies. Against this backdrop, Kai A. Konrad from the Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance advocates speeding up the search for alternative uses, starting now. more

From the philhellenism of the 1820s to contemporary support for Ukraine more

Raisa Sherif,  now a senior research fellow at Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance, talks about her work, what advice she has for girls who want to become researchers, and the challenges of becoming a researcher. more

In this video, anthropologist Rosalia Engchuan talks about her research in Indonesia. She looks at how Indonesian filmmakers respond to the challenges of their social and environmental surroundings and how they influence the development of moral values, for example, through solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. more

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology based at the research station outpost for parrot comparative cognition in the Loro Parque in Tenerife, Spain, have shown that parrots exhibit a high level of social intelligence and cooperativeness. They readily help others, even when there is no immediate opportunity for reciprocation. Moreover, they reciprocate received favours and do not appear jealous, if conspecifics obtain a better reward than themselves. more