Nele Plefka

External LIFE Fellow since 2026, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

I am a doctoral student in Developmental and Educational Psychology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin under the supervision of Denis Gerstorf. I joined the International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course as a pre-doctoral fellow in April 2026. My doctoral research is embedded in a DFG-funded project on Daily Affect Dynamics in Very Old Age Across Time: The Role of Vulnerabilities But Also Strengths, in which we employ Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to obtain a comprehensive picture of how strengths and vulnerabilities influence affect dynamics, stress responses, and coping abilities in the everyday lives of very old adults (aged 80+). I am particularly interested in gender and age-related differences and how these interact with social participation and daily affect.

My academic background is in developmental psychology. I received my BSc in Psychology from the University of Amsterdam, where I specialized in cognitive neuropsychology and developmental psychology. I then completed my research master’s degree at Leiden University, where I further specialized in developmental psychology. As part of my studies, I worked as a research intern at the Aging Research Center of Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University, where I conducted research on gender differences in depressive symptoms among older adults. 

Dissertation project:

Daily life affect dynamics in old age