KEEP Panel Thuringia: Cognitive development of decision-making competence and social participation

Decision-making competence is a central developmental task and the basis for a self-determined life and social participation. A better understanding of these processes is important from the perspective of both basic research and application. Adult decision-making has been intensively researched for a long time. But which developmental steps lead to decision-making competence in complex modern environments? How can this be promoted? In concrete terms, the project will now investigate which factors determine the cognitive development of decision-making competence from primary school age onwards.

To this end, the KEEP Panel Thuringia will be set up with children from the age of six. Located in the "Kindermedienland Thüringen" with its state strategy for young people's co-determination, this is intended to strengthen the University of Erfurt with its focus area "Education, School, and Behaviour" in the areas of cooperative research and knowledge transfer. The project builds on the findings of a previous DFG project on probabilistic decision-making among children. Here, cross-sectional, experimental research has been used since 2013 to investigate children's decisions in comparison to adults. The KEEP Panel Thuringia is to be established sustainably and provide longitudinal data. The participation of further cooperation partners is a declared project goal. In addition, existing individual research projects at the University of Erfurt are to be transferred into a joint funding programme.

The project receives further financial support from the University of Erfurt itself (39,000 euros).