Samantha Swindell

Samantha Swindell holds dual appointments as a Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychology and Associate Dean for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University. With a 20% faculty commitment and 80% administrative role, she coordinates Psych 105: Introductory Psychology across the Pullman campus and mentors graduate students through Psych 505: Teaching Introductory Psychology.

Education:

• Ph.D., Washington State University, 1998

Her research centers on behavioral psychology with emphases in learning theory, motivation, and behavioral economics. Dr. Swindell investigates dynamic behavioral contrast phenomena, extinction-habituation interactions, and economic models of choice behavior, publishing in premier journals like The Behavior Analyst and Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Her work bridges experimental analysis with practical applications in human behavior modification.

Publication trends from 1999-2003 reveal strong focus on behavioral mechanics (70% of output), with significant contributions to gender representation studies in applied behavior analysis. Recurring methodological themes include within-session response analysis and behavioral economic modeling across animal and human subjects.

Dr. Swindell actively mentors graduate teaching assistants through structured coursework, though no formal thesis advisement is documented. Her administrative leadership spans curriculum design, instructional assessment, and faculty development initiatives across the College of Arts and Sciences.