Ralph Hertwig

Ralph Hertwig is the Director of the Research Department of Adaptive Rationality and Deputy Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. He holds honorary professorships at both the Free University of Berlin (since 2016) and Humboldt University of Berlin (since 2013).

His research focuses on models of limited and ecological rationality, experience-based decisions, psychology of risk, development of decision-making processes across the lifespan, and evidence-based interventions to increase decision-making and self-control skills (boosting). Hertwig's work bridges cognitive science, psychology, and practical applications for improving decision-making in complex environments.

Hertwig's recent publications reveal a strong focus on behavioral interventions against misinformation, risk perception across the lifespan, cross-species comparisons of decision-making, and the development of boosting techniques as alternatives to traditional nudging approaches. His work increasingly addresses digital challenges, misinformation, and democratic discourse in the attention economy.

Selected honors:

• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2017)
• Charlotte and Karl Bühler Prize (2006)
• Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (2011)
• Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

Hertwig actively contributes to multiple academic initiatives including the International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (LIFE), the Max Planck School of Cognition, and the International Max Planck Research School for Computational Methods in Psychiatry and Aging Research (COMP2PSYCH). His keynote speeches worldwide demonstrate the broad impact of his research on decision-making science.