Richard Redding

Dr. Richard Redding serves as Professor and Ronald D. Rotunda Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at Chapman University's Dale E. Fowler School of Law, where he concurrently holds the position of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. He maintains a dual appointment as Professor of Psychology in Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. Previously, he held professorial roles at Villanova University School of Law, Drexel University (Research Professor of Psychology), and the University of Virginia School of Law, where he began his academic career.

His educational credentials include a B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College (with honors), an M.S. from Vanderbilt University, a J.D. from Washington and Lee University (Frances Lewis Law Fellow), and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Virginia. He clerked for Judge Michael W. Farrell at the D.C. Court of Appeals.

Dr. Redding is nationally recognized for pioneering research on sociopolitical diversity and the impact of ideological attitudes on professional practice and public policy. His work critically examines political bias in social science research and its application in law, mental health professions, and educational settings. He has made seminal contributions to juvenile justice reform, forensic psychology, and cognitive task analysis for complex skill training. His interdisciplinary approach bridges legal scholarship, clinical psychology, and social science methodology.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a concentrated focus on ideological polarization in academia, with particular emphasis on viewpoint diversity in psychology and its implications for scientific integrity. His scholarship consistently addresses the tension between diversity initiatives and free inquiry, examining how political attitudes infiltrate research design, therapeutic practice, and legal policymaking. The interdisciplinary nature of his work spans legal theory, psychological methodology, and public policy analysis.

His distinguished honors include:

• Election to the American Law Institute
• Fellowship in the American Psychological Association
• Fellowship in the Association for Psychological Science
• Fellowship in the American Bar Foundation
• Awards from the American Psychology-Law Society and Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Chapman University's Wang-Fradkin Chair—the institution's highest faculty honor

As an academic leader, Dr. Redding has directed the JD/PhD Program in Law and Clinical Psychology at Villanova and Drexel Universities. His research has secured substantial funding from federal agencies including the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Federal Aviation Administration, and Department of Justice for projects addressing juvenile justice reform and cognitive task analysis. He has served on Virginia juvenile justice task forces and as a consultant to the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Dr. Redding founded and serves as President of the Society for Open Inquiry in Behavioral Science and directs research at the Open Therapy Institute, where he promotes evidence-based practice and methodological rigor in psychological research and clinical applications.