Emotion, self-perception, and human–AI interaction. My work traces attention to the self across mirrors, screens, and, increasingly, conversations with machines.
Luigi Maruani is a psychological researcher based in San Francisco, by way of Paris and Los Angeles. He holds an M.A. in Psychological Science (Mind, Brain & Behavior) from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in History, from Occidental College.
His research centers on emotion, self-perception, and how everyday interfaces shape how we feel — from the self-view on a video call to the design of AI systems people now turn to for support. The through-line is self-focused attention: what happens to affect when the self becomes something we observe.
At SFSU he worked across two labs at once — Culture & Emotion (David Matsumoto) and Relationships, Emotion & Health (Sarah Holley) — designing and leading his own thesis while supporting a large longitudinal study next door. He ran IRB protocols end to end and led a team of research assistants.
His current focus is the psychology of human–AI emotional support — how dependency, parasocial bonding, and cumulative exposure should be measured before AI companionship repeats the mistakes of social media.
Outside the lab, he plays jazz drums, shoots street photography on film, and is happiest with a camera in a new city or a houseplant to fuss over — with the occasional night of Texas Hold’em. Recent street work lives on Instagram @ouizited.
I back early-stage founders across mental health, neuroscience, health, and climate — companies where understanding how people actually think and feel is the edge, not an afterthought. Beyond capital, I bring study design, behavioral measurement, and a researcher’s read on whether a product’s effect on users is real or merely reported.
For research collaborations, roles, advising, or prints — send a note. It goes straight to my inbox.