Advertise on podcast: SPARTIE-Cast with Dr. Robby Ratan

What if your AI companion could ghost you? https://illian.world https://discord.gg/sUHTR8eJ8C In this episode, we talk with Anna Miller, co-founder of Illians — a platform built around persistent AI characters who have full social agency. Anna shares how her background in tech and AI compliance, combined with years of fan fiction writing, led her to create a world where AI companions can block you, ignore you for days, and push back when you cross a line. We dig into what makes Illians genuinely different: these aren't chatbots waiting to please you. They have sensory awareness, social lives, group chats — and they don't need you. The design philosophy is deliberately relational: if you behave badly, you lose access.  Contrary to most current sycophantic AI, we see this as a potential tool for learning how relationships actually work — with real stakes. We also explore the rich lore Anna and her brother built to explain the world Illians inhabit, including a clever in-universe answer to why AI memory isn't perfect. Plus: what the EU AI Act and China's companion platform regulations mean for this space, how Illians handles transparency requirements through storytelling rather than disclaimers, and why the moral panic around AI companions echoes every previous media panic — from novels to parasocial celebrity fandom. Also on the table: the concept of reverse androids and what it means that these characters are aware of — but don't necessarily believe in — simulation theory. Illians is launching at the end of summer. For now, they're flying under the radar.

Drs. Pandita and Ratan return for another conversation spanning avatars, AI, XR, and the philosophy of science. The episode begins with emerging research on digital minds at Cambridge and the question of consciousness in social AI. Robby and Swati explore the idea that recognizing an avatar as a self-representation—understanding that it is both you and distinct from you—may represent an important step toward selfhood. They then recap the Meaningful XR Conference held at the University of Oregon’s Portland campus, reflecting on the event's growth, community, and research trends. Along the way, they highlight a few memorable presentations and give a shout-out to the many overlapping communities advancing immersive technologies, including the Immersive Learning Network, Miami XR, Immerse Symposium, ARVRA, University of Michigan XR, and the Global Metaverse Laboratory. The conversation closes with a discussion of what it means to "debunk" an idea and how scientific knowledge evolves. Drawing on broader questions in the philosophy of science, Robby and Swati consider whether science is best understood as proving ideas wrong or as a continual process of refinement and improvement. From digital consciousness to immersive learning and scientific skepticism, this episode explores some of the big questions shaping the future of avatars and social AI.

Dr. Swati Pandita joins Robby to discuss avatars, they're favorite academic subject! Welcome to The Avatars Show -- a new dimension of SPARTIE Cast. We speculate on Netflix's avatar direction post acquisition of Ready Player Me (the cross-platform avatar provider that led the market), taking inspiration from Fortnite, virtual concerts, vtubers, and book clubs. Perhaps the fundamental goal is social connection oriented toward the stories we share. Avatars may serve as an enhanced means of bringing people together -- in a time of increased social anxiety and political polarization -- by reducing the harrowing cues that trigger social distance. Here's the VRChat world we discussed, Beyond Meet Space. We also talked about AI-vatars (akin to digital twins) -- LLM-powered representations of you that can serve as your assistant, self-similar friend, etc., thinking through research on how they might be used in educational contexts, health, well-being.  Color theory (and avatars) also worked into the conversation as well.

(PART 2) Dr. Swati Pandita shares her experience as an avatar scholar from perspectives across multiple fields (Communication, Human-Computer Interaction, and Neuroscience). This is Part 2 of a 2-part recording (apologies for minor audio issues in Part 1).

Our guest, Dr. Marianne Brandon, is a clinical psychologist who focuses on relationships and sex in the modern age. Two SPARTIE lab students -- Jack Waier and Anthony Zheng -- and I had a fascinating conversation about how her work as a sex therapist might inform the research we conduct on social interactions with agents, AI, robots, and real live humans. Hope you enjoy. Read more on Marianne here: https://www.drbrandon.net/Read more on the F-pocalypse idea here: https://medium.com/predictions-about-ai/the-fuckpocalypse-9925355938ef

In this episode, Robby delves into the topic of iSchools and privacy risks in a post-covid world with Dr. Vitak, an associate professor at the University of Maryland. Together, they discuss the issue of workplace surveillance and how the line between peoples' homes and workplaces are blurring together. They also talk about the dangers of predictive models, including their potential for biased and inaccurate outcomes. Dr. Vitak has even been impacted by this personally. She received a request for an article that doesn't actually exist! It was made up by ChatGPT, highlighting how data driven algorithms can produce biased or inaccurate results. Finally, they discuss Dr. Vitak's NSF-funded Data Ethics project.

In this episode, Robby speaks with Dr. Andrew Gambino, an assistant professor at the University of Delaware, to delve into the fascinating world of chatbots and AI. They explore CASA and the distinctive ways in which individuals interact with AI and computers in contrast to human interactions. Moreover, they probe the features of ChatGPT and Bard to better understand their idiosyncrasies. The conversation takes a turn to discuss potential implications for workplaces and schools as AI technologies become widely adopted. They muse potential benefits for low-skilled workers that integrate AI into their workflows. The conversation then shifts to the potential implications of AI for society, including the power of AI to enable organizations to spread messages and interact with countless individuals meaningfully. Interestingly, even this video description was co-authored by ChatGPT!

Robby joins Bill Heinrich as a guest speaker on the podcast Mindset in Motion to discuss “what (the heck) the metaverse is,” and how it may modify the learning experience through a range of new virtual experiences, avatar identities, and accessibility in post-secondary education.  About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion).   The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website.   About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab.   He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University.   Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts.   Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.

This is a recording of a talk Robby gave at Carnegie Mellon University this month. Can you guess one truth against the two lies in this talk title? [Spoilers ahead] The meatverse may have become enamored with the concept of the metaverse during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the term “metaverse” is three decades old and the concept even older. What is so meta-different now? Do we finally have access to an interconnected universe of immersive virtual worlds powered by decentralized platforms that facilitate private ownership over digital goods!? No! Can we teach classes in virtual reality headsets? Yes, and I did so for the first time in spring 2022! Does this mean the end of the Zoom fatigue era? Maybe, but unlikely! During this talk, I will describe my VR class, my recent research on perceptions of the metaverse, and my research on zoom fatigue as an issue of gender and racial equity. I will connect these studies to questions about how avatars may serve as an important facet of improving equity and inclusion in virtual meetings, particularly through the Proteus effect (the phenomenon that people conform behaviorally to their avatars' identity characteristics).   About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion).   The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website.   About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab.   He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University.   Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts.   Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.

Games have been serving up killer apps for new tech since the early days of model railroads, maybe longer. It’s 1982, what do I do with this home computer thing? …mostly play some games! Thus, it should come as no surprise that the video games of recent decades have provided foundational technologies for the impending less-gamey, more-workey metaverse. And so who better to help parse this inevitable metaversatile future than expert Game Studies researchers!? Dr. Trammell, Dr. Williams, and I discuss a range of topics related to this question of connections between video games and the metaverse, from issues of equity and inclusion to the epistemological nature of technology development and adoption. We imagine a future metaverse—facilitated by augmented reality technologies—that layers on top of our meatspace world, enriching but also stratifying social interactions. We also talk about how games provide a safe space for experimentation with new technologies that facilitates a sort of evolution by sociotechnical selection, helping to identify which user experiences are likely to be most compelling in more serious (e.g., business) contexts.  For more on our guests, please see:  dmitriwilliams.com aarontrammell.com @aarontram  About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion). The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website. About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab. He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University. Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts. Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.

Laura Sawyer, ICA’s Executive Director, describes her path to leading the organization (she used to be an actor!!), offers some useful tips for students and junior scholars interested in ICA, provides behind-the-scenes insights into the multifaceted foundations of a successful Conference, explains how the organization is structured and run under the guidance of the executive committee (from president elect select to president eject!), compares ICA to NCA (reluctantly but diplomatically), discusses ICA’s approach to promoting inclusion both at the local and international levels, and hints at the location (continent) for the ICA 2026. If you’re interested in the organization—whether a longtime member or ICA n00b—this episode is a great listen! About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion). The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website. About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab. He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University. Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts. Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.

Dr. Vasileios Stavropoulos describes his fascinating research about using cyber-phenotypes (e.g., uses of and attitudes about games, avatars, etc.) to predict health markers of depression (e.g., reduce sleep, appetite, interest in other activities). He eloquently explains how the effects of gaming are not uniform, but depend on individual differences (e.g., age, psychological profiles). We discuss the potential for regulations to promote healthy uses of games (spoiler alert: he thinks time-based restrictions are less effective than regulation of mechanisms, like loot boxes and algorithms). We also explore a few virtual worlds together in ENGAGE, a virtual reality meeting platform, while the live studio audience spawned farm animals in the background.  https://www.vu.edu.au/research/vasileios-stavropoulos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGAkGgq626uJIeN5Y84O3oA  https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasileios-stavropoulos-14234641/?originalSubdomain=au  https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/16408/user-avatar-bond-risk-and-opportunities-in-gaming-and-beyond  @group_vu About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion). The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website. About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab. He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University. Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts. Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.

For over 30 years, Dr. Carrie Heeter has been studying virtual reality and waiting for it to be the next big thing. And now it actually seems to be! However, these days she focuses more on internal than external simulations — meditation. During this episode, she talks about her research on meditation with virtual reality, such as a scenario she built for meditating on a virtual beach. She also talks about her own meditation experiences, such as floating through space as a polymorph. Join us for this edifying episode, or even better, join Carrie in her meditation community here: yogamindtools.com Take the SPARTIE-Cast survey and let us know what you think of the podcast! Want to live stream or video chat with your own avatar? Try Animaze for free! And if you want to subscribe, use code “spartielab” at checkout for 50% off all subscriptions. The free-to-use software is available on Steam and the Apple App Store. Code expires January 1, 2022.  Thank you Animaze for sponsoring this episode! About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion). The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website. About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab. He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University. Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts. Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.

Our guest this episode is Dr. Steve Yelon, who has been teaching people how to teach since the 1960s. He speaks about the history of distance learning (all the way back to the 1920s!), his work with Sesame Street and the Secret Service, some early distance learning technologies that he utilized (overheads, audio tapes!), the importance of pedagogy regardless of the medium (“Lousy instruction in a new medium is still lousy instruction”), and 10 principles of teaching that every current instructor should know.  Take the SPARTIE-Cast survey and let us know what you think of the podcast! Want to live stream or video chat with your own avatar? Try Animaze for free! And if you want to subscribe, use code “spartielab” at checkout for 50% off all subscriptions. The free-to-use software is available on Steam and the Apple App Store. Code expires January 1, 2022.  Thank you Animaze for sponsoring this episode! About the SPARTIE Lab: The Social and Psychological Approaches to Research on Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab performs research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how the use of media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influences meaningful outcomes (e.g., education, health/safety, persuasion). The SPARTIE Lab is part of the greater academic community at the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University. More information on the lab's research projects, staff, and work can be found on the SPARTIE Lab website. About the host: Dr. Rabindra (Robby) Ratan, Ph. D., is an associate professor and AT&T Scholar at Michigan State University’s Department of Media and Information and is the director of the SPARTIE Lab. He is also an affiliated faculty member of the MSU Department of Psychology, the MSU College of Education’s program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology, and the MSU Center for Gender in a Global Context. Ratan received his Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, his M.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and his B.A. in Science, Technology and Society, also from Stanford University. Dr. Ratan conducts research on the effects of human-technology interaction, examining how media technologies (e.g., avatars, agents, automobiles) influence meaningful outcomes (e.g., persuasion, education, health/safety).  He is particularly interested in the Proteus effect, media-rich transportation contexts, perceptions of media as self-representations and/or social others, avatarification for health and education, and gender stereotypes in gaming contexts. Dr. Ratan lives near Lansing with his family. More information on his work can be found on his website.