Professor of Psychology Emeritus
A.B., Hamilton College; M.A., Ph.D., Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

 

Charles Peyser taught at Sewanee September 1968 through May 2014 … serving 1989–2014 as Secretary of the College Faculty, of the Joint Faculties, and of the University Senate. He earned an A.B. with honors in psychology at Hamilton College, where he served two years as a departmental assistant for a Programmed Learning project.

At Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (M.A., 1966; Ph.D., 1968) he was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for sensory psychology and the general introductory course. He was a USPHS Fellow 1964-65 and an NDEA Fellow 1965-67, both carrying a half-time Teaching Assistant assignment. In 1967-68 he was an Instructor in Psychology assigned to introductory psychology classes at the US Penitentiary in Marion IL and the Menard (IL) State Penitentiary.

His graduate work focused on learning; thesis with 3-to-5-year-olds (based on Skinner’s approach), dissertation with albino rats (the rival Hull-Spence). Secondary areas of Vision & Hearing, Research Methods, and Psychometrics.

In 1969 he was the first Sewanee faculty member to offer a course in Computer Science; in 1983-84 he was the University’s Systems & Programming Manager (half-time).

In 2013 and 2014 he taught the experiential version of introductory psychology (G5E) and 200-level courses in Industrial/Organizational, Comparative Sexual Behavior, Behavior Modification for Sustainability, Research Methods and Data Analysis, and Pseudopsychology.

In his leisure time he enjoys music (pre-Bach organ; Broadway musicals; Big Band era), soccer (reminiscent of his time as a NISOA referee), cooking, and phillumeny.