Cynthia Pietras

Cynthia Pietras is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University (WMU), specializing in behavioral analysis. Her research focuses on behavioral pharmacology, pro-social and aggressive behavior, risky choices, and experimental analysis of human/nonhuman behavior. She holds a Ph.D., M.S., and dual B.S./B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from the University of Florida (2000, 1997, 1993).

Her work bridges behavioral science with societal challenges, including climate change mitigation strategies and decision-making models. She investigates how biological, environmental, and pharmacological factors influence aggression, cooperation, and risk-taking behaviors. Recent studies explore rule-governed behavior in climate action contexts and energy budget rules in human decision-making.

Pietras teaches courses on behavioral research methods, verbal behavior, and experimental analysis. Her publications address topics like contingency management for smoking cessation, laboratory measures of aggression in substance users, and hybrid academic program evaluations. She actively contributes to interdisciplinary research at WMU, integrating psychology with environmental and clinical sciences.