<P> Gubler has commented on the differences between Reid and similarly odd character Penelope Garcia: "She represents everything he's not, she's very tech oriented and I would like to imagine he is more like 1920s smart, books and reading etc". Kirsten Vangsness agreed, adding that Garcia is more extroverted and available emotionally, whereas Reid struggles with his emotions . Reid is a technophobe, using neither email nor the new iPads . Gubler tweeted that Reid is also germaphobic . In general, Reid dislikes shaking hands, and shows adverse reactions when touched by strangers . It is speculated the character may also have slight obsessive compulsive disorder, particularly from a scene in "Out of the Light" where Derek Morgan slightly moves an item in the home of an UnSub afflicted with OCD, and Reid immediately places it back to its previous spot . </P> <P> Reid is a good map - reader, and therefore does the geographic profiling and map - related activities for the team . He also has a talent with words, and is the team's go - to linguistic profiler, as well as their unofficial discourse analyst . He is rarely seen behind the wheel--one time when Morgan hands him the keys, JJ and Emily exchange horrified expressions--but in "Lo - Fi" he is seen getting into the driver's side of a vehicle and even driving that same vehicle in one scene, as well as driving to Gideon's cabin in "In Name and Blood," and in "Nelson's Sparrow ." However, he is usually seen as a backseat passenger during car scenes, and he commutes to work using the Metro, and presumably the VRE . </P> <P> Spencer Walter Reid was born in Las Vegas to William Reid (Taylor Nichols), a lawyer, and Diana Reid (Jane Lynch), a former professor of 15th century literature . Diana also has paranoid schizophrenia, and went off her medication during her pregnancy . Reid and his mother have a very close relationship despite her condition . </P> <P> At age four, Spencer was approached by a man, Gary Michaels, while playing chess at a local park . Although Spencer was unharmed, Diana insisted the family move because she believed her son was in danger . Shortly thereafter, Spencer's six - year - old neighbor, Riley Jenkins, was sexually abused and murdered . Diana told Lou Jenkins, Riley's father, about the park incident . Diana then followed Jenkins and witnessed him beat Michaels to death with a baseball bat, getting blood on her clothes in the process . In order to protect his wife, William burned Diana's clothes, which Spencer inadvertently witnessed . Jenkins avoided arrest because Michaels "disappeared", and as he had a criminal history as a sexual predator, the police didn't look very hard into the case . Years later, Reid starts having nightmares about the incident, initially leading him to believe his own father was Riley's killer . Rossi and Morgan help him investigate . After undergoing hypnosis to recover his memories, Reid mistakenly believes he saw his father burning Riley's clothes, not Diana's . He pursues his father as a suspect, even after it becomes clear that Michaels is the more likely perpetrator . Michaels' body is found, and DNA confirms his killer was Lou Jenkins, who is arrested . While Reid is interviewing Jenkins, demanding to know how his father was involved, his parents interrupt and confess to their son the whole story . </P>

Who plays reid's mom on criminal minds