Vasiliy Safin
Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology
Cognitive psychology, judgement and decision-making, behavioral economics, cooperation and prosocial behavior
2018 Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, Stony Brook University
2013 M.A. in Cognitive Psychology, Stony Brook University
2010 M.S. in Math Education, City University of New York (City College)
2007 B.A. in Psychology, Reed College
Academic Jobs
2021-2023 Visiting Assistant Professor in Psychology, Simpson College
2020-2021 Visiting Scholar in Psychology, Reed College
2019-2020 Visiting Assistant Professor in Psychology, Reed College
2018-2019 Postdoctoral Reseacher
I am a cognitive scientist with training and research interests extending to behavioral economics and social psychology. My senior thesis at Reed explored questions of self-control and persistence of behavior. During my doctoral program I continued to study self-control, but the scope was broadened to decisions that affected others: altruism, social cooperation, social discounting, game theory, tragedy of the commons, etc. Should I do something impulsive now or exhibit self-control to benefit my future self? Or perhaps to benefit another individual or group? We make these decisions many times a day, often without awareness, but the consequences are real and measurable. At Reed in the 2023-2024 academic year I plan to work with students interested in exploring the judgment and decision-making processes that take place when we evaluate prosocial and antisocial choices. Moreover, I have recently taken an interest in the psychological examination of propaganda, and would like to work with students on identifying and examining propaganda and/or disinformation social media campaigns (especially the massive harmful campaigns conducted by Russia) through the lens of cognitive and social psychology.