Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology brings together scientists from diverse backgrounds (natural sciences and humanities) with the aim of investigating the history of humankind from an interdisciplinary perspective using comparative analyses of genes, cultures, cognitive abilities, languages and social systems of past and present human populations, as well as those of primates closely related to humans.

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Kava drinking and its role in cultural evolution

Linguistic and Cultural Evolution

Did the consumption of the mind-altering beverage kava facilitate the emergence of complex, hierarchical…

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Children around the world process gaze in similar ways

Comparative Cultural Psychology

Large cross-cultural study finds common 'processing signature' of gaze following despite differences in…

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Chimpanzees are better at solving resource dilemmas in larger, more tolerant groups

Comparative Cultural Psychology

Research with chimpanzees shows that cooperation and leadership shape sustainable use of resources in our…

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