Harry Reis (born in 1949) is a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester. He has been a leading figure in the field of social psychology, credited with helping to launch the study of relationship science and notable for his contribution to theories of intimacy. His research encompasses emotional regulation, the factors that influence social interaction, and consequences of different socializing patters for health and psychological well-being.
Reis received a B.S. from City College of New York in 1970 and a Ph.D. from New York University in 1975. He has served as president of the International Society for the Study of Personal Relationships and chair of the American Psychological Association's Board of Scientific Affairs, as well as executive officer and later, president of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. In 2012, Reis was selected for the Distinguished Career Award from the International Association for Relationship Research. He was also the recipient of the 2009 Goergen Award for Distinguished Achievement and Artistry in Undergraduate Teaching. Among his other accomplishments, Reis was an editor for the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes) and later Current Directions in Psychological Science.
In particular, Reis investigates psychological processes that affect interpersonal relationships, intimacy, and attachment. His studies address gender and sex factors, dating variables, perspectives on partner responsiveness, principles of familiarity, and perceptions of similarity and dissimilarity. Much of his research is informed by his subjects’ detailed, daily records of social activity. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Israel Science Foundation, and the Fetzer Institute. He was a Fulbright Senior Research Scholar in 1991.
