Larner College of Medicine

Eric Thrailkill

Assistant Professor, Psychiatry

Co-Director, Dissemination Division of the Administration Core

Co-Director, T32 Trainee Seminar Series

PRONOUNS he/him

eric.thrailkill@uvm.edu
(802) 656-2669
eric.thrailkill@uvm.edu
+18026562669
Pronouns he/him
Alma mater(s)
  • Ph.D., Psychology (Behavior Analysis) Utah State University, Logan, UT
  • M.S., Psychology (Behavior Analysis) Utah State University
  • B.S., Psychology, (Behavioral Neuroscience) Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
  • Postdoctoral Associate, Experimental Psychology, University of Vermont
Affiliated Department(s)

Department of Psychiatry

Department of Psychological Science

Areas of expertise

learning theory, behavior analysis, behavioral pharmacology, behavioral economics.

BIO

Dr. Eric Thrailkill is Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychological Science and Psychiatry at the University of Vermont. Dr. Thrailkill’s work focuses on fundamental learning, behavioral, and decision-making processes. Dr. Thrailkill is also interested in connecting “active ingredients” that underpin effective behavior-change interventions, such as contingency management, to fundamental behavioral mechanisms in laboratory experiments.

Courses

  • Learning w/ Lab, PSYS 3990F, 4 credits 
  • Biobehavioral Proseminar II, PSYS 6990E, 3 credits 
  • Behavior Change, PSYS 3990, 3 credits 
  • The Nature of Decision Making, PSYS 3115, 3 credits

Publications

Google Scholar Publications

Awards and Achievements

  • 2023 Fellow, Eastern Psychological Association 2023 
  • B. F. Skinner Foundation New Researcher Award for contributions to basic behavior analysis
  • Behavior Analysis, Division 25, American Psychological Association

Bio

Dr. Eric Thrailkill is Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychological Science and Psychiatry at the University of Vermont. Dr. Thrailkill’s work focuses on fundamental learning, behavioral, and decision-making processes. Dr. Thrailkill is also interested in connecting “active ingredients” that underpin effective behavior-change interventions, such as contingency management, to fundamental behavioral mechanisms in laboratory experiments.

Courses

  • Learning w/ Lab, PSYS 3990F, 4 credits 
  • Biobehavioral Proseminar II, PSYS 6990E, 3 credits 
  • Behavior Change, PSYS 3990, 3 credits 
  • The Nature of Decision Making, PSYS 3115, 3 credits

Publications

Google Scholar Publications

Awards and Achievements

  • 2023 Fellow, Eastern Psychological Association 2023 
  • B. F. Skinner Foundation New Researcher Award for contributions to basic behavior analysis
  • Behavior Analysis, Division 25, American Psychological Association

Select Publications

  • Thrailkill, E. A., Elste, N., Thorpe, C. R., & Bouton, M. E. (2025). Goal-direction and habit in human and nonhuman behavioral sequences (behavior chains). Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 51(2), 73–91. https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000395 
  • Thrailkill, E. A., DeSarno, M., & Higgins, S. T. (2024). Clustering of behavioral economic biases in decision-making and risk for cigarette smoking and other substance use. Preventive Medicine, 186, 108072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.108072 
  • Thrailkill, E. A., & Daniels, C. W. (2024). The temporal structure of goal-directed and habitual operant behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 121, 38-51. https://doi.org/10.1002/JEAB.896
  • Thrailkill, E. A. (2023). Partial reinforcement extinction and omission effects in the elimination and recovery of discriminated operant behavior. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 49, 194–207. https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000354 
  • Thrailkill, E. A., DeSarno, M., & Higgins, S. T. (2022). Loss aversion and risk for cigarette smoking and other substance use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 232, 109307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109307

PubMed Publications