Dr. Alliston Reid received his B. S. degree from Wofford College in 1975 with a major in psychology and love for mathematics. As a student, he was passionately involved in research in experimental psychology and neuropsychology. Dr. Reid received his Ph.D. degree from Duke University in experimental psychology under the supervision of John Staddon. While at Duke, Dr. Reid also studied computer/electrical engineering. Dr. Reid taught for three years in the graduate program of psychology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City, Mexico, where he obtained tenure and received his first teaching award, even though he taught all his classes in Spanish. In 1985 he moved to Oregon to teach computer science at Eastern Oregon University, where he eventually became Professor of computer science and psychology, and then Chairman of Mathematics and Computer Science. While teaching computer science and later psychology during his 11 years in Oregon, Dr. Reid was awarded teaching awards seven times. He moved to Wofford College in 1996 and served as chairman of the psychology department for six years. At Wofford, he was named Governor’s Distinguished Professor, and he was given an endowed professorship as Reeves Family Professor of psychology.
Dr. Reid’s true passion is working closely with students in the lab. Dr. Reid’s research interests lie in the basic mechanisms of learning and memory across species. His research often focuses on the rules of integration of responding and environmental cues to produce adaptive patterns of behavior. His approach to these topics involves the experimental analysis of behavior with rats, pigeons, dogs, and humans, along with mathematical modeling and computer simulation of these basic processes. Students are involved in all aspects of this research and frequently are coauthors of published papers and conference presentations. The one-on-one “Hoop-Rat Classic Basketball Tournament”, which appeared on TV in a dozen countries, is an example of how Dr. Reid tries to make his Behavior Analysis course fun. His applied research in forensic psychology has been upheld even by the S.C. Supreme Court, resulting in overturning a murder conviction. He served as program chair of the Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior for three years, before serving another three years as its President. He was also special editor of the journal Behavioural Processes for three years. Dr. Reid has published dozens of articles in a variety of areas.
Recorded OnDemand lecture: Chaser Story: Why has language research with a smart Border collie received worldwide attention?