World expert on empathy... ‘is a bully’
SHE’S the world’s leading expert on empathy – so you might expect Tania Singer to be the perfect boss.
But the celebrated professor, director of the renowned Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Germany, is facing a barrage of bullying claims from fellow scientists.
One staff member said of Prof Singer: ‘Whenever anyone had a meeting with her there was at least an even chance they would come out in tears.’ Another said: ‘People were really, really afraid of telling her about their pregnancies. For her, having a baby was you being irresponsible, letting down the team.’
Eight employees at the institute made bullying claims about Prof Singer in an investigation by Science magazine, ahead of her return to work after a one-year sabbatical. One scientist, who complained to Singer about her behaviour, alleged that she reacted, saying: ‘She was very hurt and started crying and screaming. She left the room and went door to door, crying, yelling to the people, “Are you happy here?”
‘When she came back, she said, “I just asked and everyone said they’re happy so it’s obviously you that’s the problem.” ’
Last night, Dr Singer could not be reached for comment. Her lawyers denied allegations of bullying and said she had never discriminated against pregnant women.
A spokesman for the Institute said: ‘Any form of bullying contradicts the principles of the Max Planck Society. It takes any such charges seriously and follows them up promptly. From 2019 onwards, it is envisioned that Prof Singer will head, at her own request, a considerably smaller working group for social neuroscience.’