Human Understanding of Algorithms and Machines

What we do

Our group studies how emerging technologies, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), shape human behavior – ranging from cooperation over trust to ethics. Our research combines (behavioral) experiments, large-scale surveys, and experience sampling to capture both controlled and real-world interactions.

By bringing together interdisciplinary expertise from social sciences, psychology, and computer science, we create a comprehensive understanding of human-machine dynamics.
Our goal is to provide evidence-based insights for policy and practice, ensuring that the integration of AI into society supports fairness, transparency, and human well-being.

Concrete research areas include

how (language-based) AI systems influence human ethical behavior
the social impact of synthetic relationships between humans and conversational agents
how AI systems can be used to improve educational outcomes
the emerging risks of Artificial Intelligence as a tool for corruption
how AI mediated communication tools shape trust
the risks and potentials of using AI to fight corruption

If you want to know more about the human understanding of algorithms and machines just reach out to our team members.

Human Understanding of Algorithms and Machines

Prof. Dr. Nils Köbis

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
Room 3.1.OG.1130
47057 Duisburg
Germany

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Office Prof Köbis & Singh

Sebastian Meinken

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum, Room 31.OG.3324

Phone: +49 203 37 96032

Associate Researcher

Dr. Oksana Huss

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

PostDoc

Dr. Bianca Nowak

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
Room 3.1. OG 1128
47057 Duisburg
Germany

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PostDoc

Dr. Inês Terrucha

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg

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PhD

Fabian Albers

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Room 3.1 OG 1128
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

PhD

Carolina Gerli

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

PhD

Christian Nickel

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

PhD

Alfio Ventura

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
Room 3.1.OG.1129
47057 Duisburg
Germany

technical research assistant

Iheb Dridi

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

Mobile: +49 157 736 75557

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Research Assistant

Murtaza Fakhruddin

TU Dortmund
Tectrum,
Duisburg
Bismarckstrasse 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

research assistant

Sarah Langener

University of Duisburg-Essen
Tectrum Duisburg
Bismarckstraße 120
47057 Duisburg
Germany

Where we are

We are part of the Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security, a newly founded hub dedicated to ensuring the trustworthiness of intelligent systems in safety-critical applications through an interdisciplinary, human-centered research approach. It is one of four centers established in 2021 by the Research Alliance Ruhr, a joint initiative of Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen to address some of society’s most pressing challenges.

Our group is based in the Tectrum in Duisburg, at the heart of the Ruhr Valley region - one of Europe’s largest yet greenest metropolitan areas and the region with the highest university density in Germany.

Selected Key Publications

article

Zoe A. Purcell, Maurice Jakesch, Mengchen Dong, Anne-marie Nussberger, Nils Köbis: Writing with AI boosts trust-building efficiency 2589-0042

[DOI]

incollection

Shaul Shalvi, Emma E. Levine, Isabel Thielmann, Eranda Jayawickreme, Benjamin Van Rooij, Kinneret Teodorescu, Amos Schurr, R. Michael Furr, Salvatore Maria Aglioti, Ingo Zettler, Taya R. Cohen, Andrea Pittarello, Rachel Barkan, Nils Köbis, Margarita Leib, Panagiotis Mitkidis, Jonathan Schulz, Eugen Dimant, Gerben A. Kleef, Karolina Aleksandra Ścigała, Rainer Michael Rilke, Shahar Ayal, Bianca Beersma, Ori Plonsky, Benjamin Hilbig, Ori Weisel, Fabrizio Butera, Yuval Feldman, Bruno Verschuere, Cinzia Zanetti, Guy Hochman, Mariska E. Kret, Eyal Peer, Valerio Capraro, Angela R. Dorrough, Sebastian Speer, Ilana Ritov: Chapter Five - The science of honesty: A review and research agenda 0065-2601

[DOI]

article

Zoe Purcell, Mengchen Dong, Anne-marie Nussberger, Nils Köbis, Maurice Jakesch: People have different expectations for their own versus others' use of AI-mediated communication tools

[DOI]

article

Janis H. Zickfeld, Karolina A. Ścigała, Christian T. Elbaek, John Michael, Mathilde H. Tønnesen, Gabriel Levy, Shahar Ayal, Isabel Thielmann, Laila Nockur, Eyal Peer, Valerio Capraro, Rachel Barkan, Simen Bø, Štěpán Bahník, Daniele Nosenzo, Ralph Hertwig, Nina Mazar, Alexa Weiss, Ann-Kathrin Koessler, Ronit Montal-Rosenberg, Sebastian Hafenbrädl, Yngwie Asbjørn Nielsen, Patricia Kanngiesser, Simon Schindler, Philipp Gerlach, Nils Köbis, Nicolas Jacquemet, Marek Vranka, Dan Ariely, Jareef Bin Martuza, Yuval Feldman, Michał Białek, Jan K. Woike, Zoe Rahwan, Alicia Seidl, Eileen Chou, Agne Kajackaite, Simeon Schudy, Ulrich Glogowsky, Anna Z. Czarna, Stefan Pfattheicher, Panagiotis Mitkidis: Effectiveness of ex ante honesty oaths in reducing dishonesty depends on content 2397-3374

[DOI]

article

Eva-Madeleine Schmidt, Sara Bonati, Nils Köbis, Ivan Soraperra: GPT-3.5 altruistic advice is sensitive to reciprocal concerns but not to strategic risk 2045-2322

[DOI]

Post-Doc	PhD	Research Assistants
We just finished hiring a Post-Doc on people’s perceptions of and interactions with AI-based systems in their daily lives together with Wilhelm Hofmann and Margarita Leib. More details will soon follow.	We are about to announce a new call for applications for a new PhD position. Stay tuned.	We have an open position for Research Assistant with a Bachelor's degree. Application deadline: 08.08.2025 For more information, see here.