In order to live together in communities we need to cooperate with one another. To organise this, we punish people when they behave uncooperatively. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the MPI for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig have now looked at this connection. 

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung pleads for more compassion in society in an article on November 1st 2017 titled “The Heart of the Others” [Das Herz der anderen]. Tania Singer has already been teaching this for several years and provides the scientific foundation. 

“Are we facing a social revolution?” [Steht uns eine soziale Revolution bevor?]. In the 44th edition of the ZEIT on October 25th 2017, Uwe Jean Heuser reports on Tania Singer’s research on empathy, compassion and finding an alternative to capitalism. (German)

Two publications from the Department of Social Neuroscience headed by Tania Singer make it onto the cover of Science Advances. The first is titled “Specific reduction in cortisol stress reactivity after social but not attention-based mental training”.

Two publications from the Department of Social Neuroscience headed by Tania Singer make it onto the cover of Science Advances. The second is titled “Structural plasticity of the social brain: Differential change after socio-affective and cognitive mental training”. 

What Science Tells Us About Good and Evil. Tania Singer’s work on the plasticity of the social brain, compassion and empathy networks, and the effects of different forms of training such as loving-kindness training is featured in National Geographic. 

A new study on the benefits of perspective adoption. Through training, people can learn to become more aware of their mental processes and through this can also improve their understanding of the mental workings of others. 

At about the age of four we suddenly begin to understand that others think differently from us – we can put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Scientists at the MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences have found that this developmental milestone is connected with a crucial fibre link.

Humans are social beings and are burdened by loneliness. We suffer from it both psychologically and through physical illness. Scientists of the MPI for Human Cognitive Brain Sciences have now shown that a form of social connected meditation (the dyad) can decrease the feeling of loneliness. 

The Top 10 Insights from the “Science of a Meaningful Life” in 2016. Tania Singer’s findings on different effects of different types of meditation are featured in this summary article on wellbeing sciences of 2016. 

ManagerMagazin selects Tania Singer as one of the 75 most influential women to the german economy for her influence of challenging the classical model of Homo Economicus with “caring economics”.  

Bethany E. Kok and Tania Singer publish new results from the ReSource Project in JAMA Psychiatry in a paper titled “Effects of Contemplative Dyads on Engagement and Perceived Social Connectedness Over 9 Months of Mental Training”. 

An interview with BBC World Service – CrowdScience on the question “Does it pay to be nice?” and exploring whether being a team player and putting yourself second is really the best strategy from a scientific perspective.

An interview with Tania Singer for “Scobel: The Power of Good” [Scobel: Die Kraft des Guten] on 3Sat — a program about challenging the selfish gene theory and discussing effective altruism with various guests. (German)

A documentation on the topic “Empathy” published to the arte series “Xenius” on the 2nd of November 2016. This documentation features an interview with Tania Singer.