Researchers at the University of Mannheim investigate how people acquire and develop skills and language and how they make decisions under uncertainty. They examine how psychological processes interact with global transformations, exploring the interplay between human behavior and developments such as climate change, digitalization, and the growing use of artificial intelligence. 

Together, researchers examine the foundations of social cohesion, including trust and distrust, networks, and social movements.  They also investigate how institutional and postcolonial inequalities affect participation in society.

The interdisciplinary research team also addresses other pressing contemporary issues, including human–machine interaction. They explore the boundaries between human cognition and artificial intelligence and investigate how people perceive and accept algorithms, including their emotional responses to them.