David M Schnyer
Professor — Ph.D., University of Arizona
Professor and Department of Psychology Chair

Contact
- E-mail: schnyer@utexas.edu
- Phone: (512) 475-8499
- Office: SEA 4.212
- Campus Mail Code: A8000
Interests
The neurocognitive basis of human mental phenomenon
Biography
Dr. Schnyer does not plan to recruit a new graduate student for Fall 2020.
My research is focused on the Cognitive Neuroscience of mental processes. Particularly, we have examined the neural structures and computational algorithms that contribute to non-declarative memory, associative memory, metamemory and attention/cognitive control. These studies are approached with a range of methodological tools – lesion studies, fMRI and MEG/EEG. More recently we have begun to examine the neurobiological basis of attention control as a contributing factor to mental illness and changes as a result of sleep patterns and traumatic brain injury. This has lead to the development of therapeutic techniques that target the attention dysfunction seen in many psychological and neurological disorders.
Courses
PSY 341K • Psy Of Consciousness: Cogneuro
42815 • Spring 2021
Meets TTH 3:30PM-5:00PM GEA 105
Hybrid/Blended
PSY 394U • Curr Tpcs In Cognitiv Neurosci
44307 • Spring 2014
Meets F 3:00PM-6:00PM SEA 4.244
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych
43760 • Fall 2013
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 3.250
Wr
PSY 394U • Curr Tpcs In Cognitv Systems
43685 • Spring 2013
Meets F 12:00PM-3:00PM SEA 3.250
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych
43310 • Fall 2012
Meets TTH 12:30PM-2:00PM SEA 3.250
Wr
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych
43238 • Spring 2012
Meets TTH 12:30PM-2:00PM SEA 3.250
Wr
PSY 387R • Fundamentals Of Cognition
43895 • Spring 2011
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 2.108
PSY 394U • Intro To Psychophysiology
44025 • Spring 2011
Meets W 1:00PM-4:00PM SEA 5.106
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych
43145 • Fall 2010
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 2.108
Wr
C2
PSY 387R • Fundamentals Of Cognition
44055 • Spring 2010
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 2.108
PSY 394U • Intro To Psychophysiology
44185 • Spring 2010
Meets W 1:00PM-4:00PM SEA 5.106
(also listed as NEU 394P)
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych-W
44120 • Fall 2009
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 4.242
C2
PSY 394U • Analysis Of Fmri Data
43430 • Spring 2009
Meets M 1:00PM-4:00PM SEA 2.210
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych-W
44245 • Fall 2008
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 2.224
C2
PSY 394U • Analysis Of Fmri Data
44303 • Spring 2008
Meets M 1:00PM-4:00PM SEA 2.210
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych-W
45080 • Fall 2007
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 3.250
C2
PSY 394U • Current Topics In Cognition
45340 • Fall 2007
Meets F 3:00PM-6:00PM SEA 3.250
PSY 394U • Analysis Of Fmri Data
43946 • Spring 2007
Meets M 1:00PM-4:00PM IRC
PSY 341K • Human Brain Imaging In Psych-W
44873 • Fall 2006
Meets TTH 2:00PM-3:30PM SEA 4.242
C2
Publications
Selected Publications
Gonzalez, G. D. S., & Schnyer, D. M. (2019). Attention and Working Memory Biases to Black and Asian Faces During Intergroup Contexts. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 385.
Wickwire, E.M., Schnyer, D.M. Germain, A, Williams, S.G., Lettieri, C.J., McKeon, A.B., Scharf, S.M., Stocker, R., Albrecht, J., Badjatia, N., Markowitz, A.J. & Manley, G.T. (2018). Sleep, sleep disorders, and circadian health following mild traumatic brain injury: Review and research agenda, Journal of Neurotrauma.
Schnyer, D.M., Gonzalez, C., Clasen, P. & Beevers, C.G. (2017). Evaluating the diagnostic utility of applying a machine learning algorithm to diffusion tensor MRI measures in individuals with major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging. 30;264:1-9.
Sherman, S.M., Mumford, J. & Schnyer, D.M. (2015). Hippocampal activity mediates the relationship between circadian activity rhythms and memory in aging. Neuropsychologia. 75, 617-625.
Schnyer, D.M, Beevers, C.G., deBettencourt, M.T., Sherman, S., Cohen, J.D., Norman, K.A. & Turk-Browne, N.B. (2015). Neurocognitive therapeutics: From concept to application in the treatment of negative attention bias. Biology of Mood and Anxiety Disorders.
Beevers, C.G., Clasen, P., Enock , P.M., & Schnyer, D.M. (2015). Attention Bias Modification for Major Depressive Disorder: Effects on Attention Bias, Resting State Connectivity, and Symptom Change. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
Clasen, P., Mumford, J., Beevers, C.G. & Schnyer, D.M. (2013). Cognitive control network connectivity in adolescent women with and without a parental history of depression. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 7, 13-22.
Pacheco, J., Beevers, C., Benavides, C., McGeary, J., Stice, E. and Schnyer, D.M. (2009). Frontal-Limbic White Matter Pathway Associations with the Serotonin Transporter Gene Promoter Region (5-HTTLPR) Polymorphism. Journal of Neuroscience, 29. 6229-6233.
Rocklage, M, Williams, V, Pacheco, J. & Schnyer, D.M. (2009). White matter differences predict cognitive vulnerability to sleep deprivation. Sleep. 32. 1100-1103.
Schnyer, D.M., Dobbins, I.G., Nicholls, L.D., & Verfaellie, M. (2006) Rapid response learning in amnesia: Delineating associative learning components in repetition priming. Neuropsychologia, 44, 140-149.
Schnyer, D.M., Nicholls, L.D., & Verfaellie, M. (2005). The role of VPMC in metamemorial judgments of content retrievability.Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 17, 832-846
Dobbins, I.G., Schnyer, D.M., Verfaellie, M., & Schacter, D.L. (2004). Cortical activity reductions during repetition priming can result from rapid response learning. Nature, 428:6980, 316-319.
Schnyer, D.M., Verfaellie, M., Alexander, M.P., LaFleche, G., Nicholls, L., & Kaszniak, A.W. (2004). A Role for Right Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Accurate Feeling of Knowing Judgments: Evidence from Patients with Lesions to Frontal Cortex.Neuropsychologia, 42:7, 957-966.