Podcast
SPARTIE-Cast with Dr. Robby Ratan
Hosted by SPARTIE Lab · EN
Hello, world! Check out SPARTIE-Cast, with Dr. Robby Ratan, Director of the Social and Psychological Approaches to Technology-Interaction Effects (SPARTIE) Lab at Michigan State University, with amazing support from Producer George McNeill and Technical Director, Connor Bird.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Avatars Show e02 (Avatars, Consciousness, and Meaningful XR)
Jun 100:42:23Tap to summarizeDrs. 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.
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The Avatars Show e01 (an alternate dimension of the SPARTIE-verse)
May 2200:52:10Tap to summarizeDr. 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.
Transcribe →(Part 2) SPARTIE Spotlight on Swati Pandita
May 1300:40:30Tap to summarize(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).
Transcribe →XR @ MSU
Jan 27, 202500:32:47Tap to summarizeNo description available
Transcribe →Relationships, AI, and the F-pocalypse, oh my
Aug 29, 202400:49:20Tap to summarizeOur 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
Transcribe →Discussion with Dr. Jessica Vitak about Data Ethics, Privacy, and Algorithmic Bias
Apr 28, 202300:39:25Tap to summarizeIn 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.
Transcribe →Discussion with Dr. Andrew Gambino about chatbots and AI
Apr 27, 202300:43:27Tap to summarizeIn 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!
Transcribe →The meta-burst! How experiential learning in VR can lead to an explosion of opportunities for the future of education.
May 5, 202200:45:16Tap to summarizeRobby 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.
Transcribe →The Metaverse has Arrived, Hello Classes in VR, Goodbye Zoom Fatigue …April Fools!
Apr 28, 202201:12:41Tap to summarizeThis 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.
Transcribe →Lessons from Games Studies for the Metaverse (ft. Dr. Dmitri Williams & Dr. Aaron Trammell)
Mar 31, 202200:45:05Tap to summarizeGames 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.comaarontrammell.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.
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