Combating two crises in psychological research through international collaboration

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig launches German-Namibian research project

To the point

• International student exchange programme: As part of a new research project, funded by the Max Planck Förderstiftung, the Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology is bringing together young researchers from Germany and Namibia to address pressing issues in early childhood developmental psychology.
• Enhancing psychological research: The project aims to increase the credibility and relevance of psychological research. It provides a more diverse and inclusive understanding of human psychology and offers training and cultural exchange opportunities for emerging scientists.

The team's main focus is to address two fundamental crises in scientific research. The first is the so-called replication crisis. In the scientific community, 'replication' means that one group of researchers reproduces the experimental procedures of another group to confirm whether published findings hold. If the results do not replicate, this is an indication of an inherent problem. Such a predicament has been observed in basic psychological research - numerous effects that were initially shown to be significant have failed to replicate in subsequent, independent studies.

The second predicament is the crisis of sampling diversity and generalisability. That is, the vast majority of participants in psychological science come from relatively homogeneous socio-cultural groups - post-industrial, urban, formally educated Western communities. However, a comprehensive and generalisable understanding of human psychology requires the integration of a broader range of cultural and social viewpoints.

Globalising and validating research

To address key challenges in the field of developmental psychology, the Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology (CCP) at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, led by Daniel Haun, is pioneering efforts to examine the replicability and generalisability of child development research across cultures. As part of this initiative, Namibian students spend six weeks in Germany collaborating with their German peers to design conceptual replications under the supervision of CCP researchers. The full group then travels to Namibia for an additional week, offering students from both countries a unique opportunity to explore the cultural contexts and daily lives of children beyond their own communities. During this visit, CCP scholars also deliver guest lectures to students and staff at the University of Namibia, fostering academic exchange and cross-cultural dialogue.

Roman Stengelin, project leader at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, states: “This project is an important step towards increasing the credibility and relevance of our research. At the same time, it offers valuable training and cultural exchange opportunities for emerging scientists in both Namibia and Germany.”

Namibian and German scholars work closely together

The key to achieving this goal is close collaboration with Namibian partners. Research will be conducted jointly in both countries, taking into account the unique cultural and social environments. Commenting on this significant partnership, Wesley Pieters, Associate Professor at the University of Namibia and co-project leader, says: “This collaboration offers us the unique prospect of conducting globally-recognised research in developmental science, while building valuable expertise among our Namibian students.”

Over the course of five years, the project will bring together three German and three Namibian researchers each year. Working in tandems, they will attempt to replicate previously published studies to determine whether the original findings stand up to the test of replicability and whether these findings stand in different cultural settings.

Diversity in psychology: cultural exchange enhances research

This ambitious undertaking not only aims to advance the field of psychological research, but also provides invaluable exposure and insight for the young researchers involved. “Cultural perspectives aren’t usually part of psychology training in Germany – more so in Namibia,” says Roman Stengelin. “With this project, we want to give students at both sites a deeper understanding of how child development is shaped by culture. It’s about diversifying not just who we study in developmental psychology, but also who gets to do the research. Looking ahead, we’re excited to open the project to more colleagues in Germany and other countries who want to get involved in cross-cultural psychology.”

The first round of student exchanges took place in early 2025, with teams researching children's (pro)social responses in minimal group settings. Namibian society – with its rich ethnic, linguistic and economic diversity – provides an ideal context for examining the replicability and generalizability of findings typically produced in Germany and other Western, post- industrialized countries.