Psychology of AI with Professor Steve Rathje

Psychology of AI with Professor Steve Rathje

Author: Caitlin Begg July 13, 2026 Duration: 57:33

How is AI affecting our relationships? Our problem-solving capabilities? Our confidence? Steve Rathje and I chat about some of his recent research on AI sycophancy to explore these questions and more.  A preview: people HATE disagreeable chatbots; humans are influenced by flattery even if we know it is insincere; AI has a bias toward AI-generated text...

Steve Rathje is an incoming Assistant Professor of Human Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon. As of July 2026, Steve's important research on psychology of technology and related topics have been cited over 7,000 times. Some of his notable research includes Out-group animosity drives engagement on social media (2021) and Sycophantic AI increases attitude extremity and overconfidence (2025). Steve received his PhD from the University of Cambridge (Trinity College), where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar. Previously, he studied Psychology and Symbolic Systems at Stanford University.

Keep up with Steve on TikTok, Instagram, and at stevenrathje.com.

If you missed it, also be sure to tune into Steve's first appearance on Progression to Analog from 2025, "Psychology of Virality".


There's a quiet but persistent feeling that something essential is getting lost in our digital shuffle. Progression to Analog is a space to examine that feeling, hosted by sociologist and Authentic Social founder Caitlin Begg. This isn't a nostalgic retreat, but a thoughtful exploration of how reintroducing analog elements-whether in communication, work, or leisure-can reshape our daily experience toward something more intentional and, ultimately, more human. Each conversation in this podcast moves beyond simple tool-swapping to ask deeper questions about presence, connection, and the architecture of our attention. You'll hear discussions that weave sociological insight with practical reflection, considering how the textures of a less-mediated life can influence our relationships, creativity, and sense of self. New episodes arrive every Monday, offering a regular pause to consider the pace and quality of the everyday. Tune in for a series that treats the analog not as an antiquated concept, but as a meaningful progression.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 46

Hypercommunication
Podcast Episodes
Anemoia: Nostalgia For A Time You've Never Known [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:41
I felt an inexplicable feeling a few weeks ago, and turned to GPT-4 to help explain it. I was feeling nostalgia for a time I've never known, a longing for an unexperienced past. GPT identified this as "anemoia". In this…
A People's History of Tech with New York-based Sara M. Watson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:45
Radical futurist, tech critic, independent industry analyst, and interdisciplinary researcher Sara M. Watson and I discuss "A People's History of Technology" in this episode, which she co-founded and curates (with Emily…
A Sociotechnical Approach to AI, Sales, and Communication [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:32
One issue organizations are dealing with right now: how do we move AI from a buzzword to something that actually impacts our organization? Along these lines, in this episode I discuss the importance of a sociotechnical (…
No Phones in the Bedroom? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:21
I discuss why you should stop checking your phone when you wake up, benefits to ditching your smartphone in the bedroom, sleep inertia and sleep drunkenness, how I decreased my screen time by 65%, and more. Some referenc…
Human-Centric Enterprise AI with Helsinki-based Dr. Anna Lahtinen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:41
In this episode, I discuss practical sociotechnical approaches to enterprise artificial intelligence adoption (especially for small and medium sized businesses) with Helsinki-based Dr. Anna Lahtinen. Curiously, artificia…