Associate Dean Dr. Sam Snyder
Academic History & Awards
A.B. 1969
Dartmouth College, Psychology
M.S. 1972
Yale University, Developmental Psychology
Ph.D. 1975
Yale University, Developmental Psychology
1966-69 Rufus Choate Scholar of Distinction
1969 Phi Beta Kappa
1969 A.B. conferred Magna Cum Laude with High Distinction in Psychology
1983 Academy of Outstanding Teachers, North Carolina State University
1992 Alumni Distinguished Professor, Undergraduate Teaching, NCSU
Professional Positions & Support
1968-69 NSF Research Award, Dartmouth College
1968-69 Research Assistant, Comparative Psychology (Dr. Virgil Graf)
1969 Teaching Assistant, Far West Labs Follow-Through Program, Lebanon, NH
1969-73 USPHS Predoctoral Traineeship in Developmental Psychology, Yale University
1971-74 Curriculum Design Consultant, Branford and Hamden, Connecticut (Elementary School Math, Language Arts, and Geography)
1971-74 Teaching Fellow in Developmental Psychology, Yale University
1972 Program Evaluation Consultant, Branford, Connecticut Public Schools
1972-74 Research Associate, Center for the Study of Education, Institution for Social and Policy Studies, Yale University
1973 Instructor in Psychology, Quinnipiac College, Hamden Connecticut
1973-77 Co-principal Investigator (with David Feldman, Tufts University), Research in Cognitive Development and Education supported by the Spencer Foundation
1974-75 Lecturer in Education and Child Development, Bryn Mawr College
1975-80 Assistant Professor of Education and Child Development, Bryn Mawr College
1976-77 Research Design and Statistical Analysis Consultant, Urban Childhood Project, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work
1979-82 Program Evaluation Consultant, NSF-funded Project, Enhancement of "Computer Literacy" among Students and Faculty, Bryn Mawr College
1980-83 Assistant Professor of Psychology, NC State University
1983- Associate Professor of Psychology, NC State University
1988-92 Consultant to NSF-Funded Project: Preparing Science Teachers for the 21st Century, NC State University
1989 Interim Department Head, Psychology Department, NC State University
1994-98 Coordinator of Advising, Psychology Department, NC State University
1994-00 Associate Department Head, Psychology Department, NC State University
1994-00 Director of Graduate Programs, Psychology Department, NCState University
1999 Interim Department Head, Psychology Department, NC State University
2000-2001 Interim Associate Dean for Research and External Affairs, College of Education and Psychology, NC State University
2001- Associate Dean for Research and External Affairs, College of Education, NC State University
Article & Chapters
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (1977) Internal and external influences on cognitive developmental change. Child Development, 48, 937-943.
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (1980) Individual developmental transitions: A film metaphor. In D. H. Feldman, Beyond Universals in Cognitive Development. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Feldman, D. H., & Snyder, S. S. (1980) Universal to unique: Mapping the developmental terrain. In D. H. Feldman, Beyond Universals in Cognitive Development. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Berberian, K., & Snyder, S. S. (1982) The relationship of temperament and stranger reaction for younger and older infants. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 28, 79-94.
Hyson, M. C., Snyder, S. S., & Andujar, E. M. (1982) Helping children cope with checkups: How good is the "good patient"? Children's Health Care, 10, 139-144.
Pendleton, K. L., & Snyder, S. S. (1982) Young children's perception of nonverbally-expressed preference: The effects of nonverbal cue, viewer age, and sex of actor. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 6, 220-237.
Rothbaum, F., Weisz, J., & Snyder, S. S. (1982) Changing the world and changing the self: A two-process model of perceived control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42, 5-37.
Norcini, J. J., & Snyder, S. S. (1983) The effects of modeling and cognitive induction on moral reasoning of adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 12, 101-115.
Renninger, K. A., & Snyder, S. S. (1983) The effects of cognitive style on perceived satisfaction and achievement among students and teachers. Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, 668-676.
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (1984) Phases of transition in cognitive development: Evidence from the domain of spatial representation. Child Development, 55, 981-989.
Norcini, J. J., & Snyder, S. S. (1986) Effects of modeling and cognitive
induction on moral reasoning. In G. L. Sapp (Ed.), Moral development:
Models, processes, and techniques. Birmingham, AL: Religious
Education Press, 249-259.
Hess, T. M., Vandermaas, M. O., Donley, J., & Snyder, S. S. (1987) Schematic flexibility in young and old adults: Memory for consistent and inconsistent actions. Journal of Gerontology, 42, 505-511.
Wallsten, S. M. & Snyder, S. S. (1990) A comparison of elderly family caregiver and non- caregiver perceptions of stress in daily experience. Journal of Community Psychology, 18, 228-238.
Feldman, D. H., & Snyder, S. S. (1994) Universal to unique: Mapping the developmental terrain. In D. H. Feldman, Beyond universals in cognitive development, 2nd edition. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (1994) Individual developmental transitions: A film metaphor. In D. H. Feldman, Beyond universals in cognitive development, 2nd edition. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Feldman, D. H., & Snyder, S. S. (1994) Developmental Transitions a decade later. In D. H. Feldman, Beyond universals in cognitive development, 2nd edition. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Instrument Development
Snyder, S. S., Feldman, D. H., & LaRossa, C. (1976) A Manual for
the administration and scoring of a Piaget-based map drawing exercise.
Copyright 1976 by S. S. Snyder, summarized in O. Johnson (Ed.),
Tests and measurements in child development: A handbook II. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Other Publications and Papers
Snyder, S. S. (1971) The effects of a curiosity incentive on children's discrimination learning. M.S. thesis, Yale University. Feldman, D. H., & Snyder, S. S. (1973) Child development. In Encyclopedia of Psychology. Guilford, CT: Dushkin.
Snyder, S. S. (1975) Internal and external aspects of disequilibrium as sources of cognitive developmental change. (Doctoral dissertation, Yale University) Dissertation Abstracts International, 1976, 37, 444-B (University Microfilms No. 76-14, 560).
Snyder, S. S. (1979) Review of Witkin's Cognitive Styles in Personal and Cultural Adaptation. Art Psychotherapy, 6, 200. Snyder, S. S. (1979) Paternal Instincts. Bryn Mawr College Alumnae Bulletin, 61, 11-13.
Snyder, S. S. (1980) Jean Piaget. In The Academic American Encyclopedia. Princeton, NJ: Aretê.
Conference Papers & Colliquia
Snyder, S. S. ( November, 1974) Internal and external aspects of disequilibrium in develop- mental change. Department of Education and Child Development Colloquium, Bryn Mawr College.
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (1975) An experimental test of the
effects of internal and external disequilibrium on spatial reasoning development.
Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child
Development, Denver, April. Abstracted in Resources in Education, Document
#ED 118-213.
Snyder, S. S. (May, 1976) Disequilibrium and developmental change. Department of Educational Foundations Colloquium, University of Delaware.
Feldman, D. H., & Snyder, S. S. (March, 1977) Structure/content relations in developmental transitions. Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, New Orleans.
Snyder, S. S. (Chair) (October, 1979) Cognitive development and early
social behavior: A symposium. Pennsylvania Psychological Association Meeting,
Philadelphia. (with K. Berberian, C. Byrum, M. Hyson, K.
Pendleton, and C. Thomas)
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (April, 1980) Plotting the course of developmental transitions. Southeastern Conference on Human Development, Alexandria, VA.
Snyder, S. S., Feldman, D. H., & Goldsmith, L. T. (May, 1980) An empirical illustration of "novelties" in development. Jean Piaget Society Symposium, Philadelphia.
Snyder, S. S., Berberian, K., & Renninger, K. A. (October, 1980) The infant's reaction to changes in appearance of mother and stranger.Meeting of the Cognition Group of North Carolina, Raleigh.
Snyder, S. S. (February, 1982) Toward a model of cognitive developmental transitions. Developmental Psychology Lunch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Snyder, S. S., & Feldman, D. H. (April, 1982) Patterns of change in children's spatial reasoning development. Southeastern Conference on Human Development, Baltimore.
Snyder, S. S., & Norcini, J. J. (April, 1982) An interaction of internal and external disequilibrium in adolescent moral reasoning development. Southeastern Conference on Human Development, Baltimore.
Snyder, S. S., & Norcini, J. J. ( June, 1982) Patterns of change in adolescent moral reasoning development. Jean Piaget Society Symposium, Philadelphia.
Goldsmith, L. T., Feldman, D. H., & Snyder, S. S. (June, 1983) Transitions in cognitive development: A microanalysis. Jean Piaget Society Symposium, Philadelphia.
Snyder, S. S. & Janowitz, J. M. (March, 1988) When opposites detract: Rethinking some bipolar psychological constructs. Presented at the Conference on Human Development, Charleston, SC.
Allis, M. & Snyder, S. S. (April, 1989) Comparison of two measures of depression. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston.
Allis, M. & Snyder, S. S. (June, 1989) Assessment of ego development: Construction of an instrument. Presented at the Symposium of the Jean Piaget Society, Philadelphia.
Janowitz, J. M. & Snyder, S. S. (June, 1989) The shapes of things to come: A Meta-developmental analysis through geometry. Presented at the Symposium of the Jean Piaget Society, Philadelphia.
Wallsten, S. M., & Snyder, S. S. (October, 1989) A comparison of elderly family caregivers' and noncaregivers' perceptions of stress in daily experiences. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Chicago.
Berensen, S. B., & Snyder, S. S. (August, 1991) Case Study: Changing undergraduate teacher preparation in science and mathematics education. Presented at the Annual Conference of the Association for Teacher Education in Europe, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Janowitz, J. M., & Snyder, S. S. (January, 1994) Opposites detract: Using duality models to expand bipolar constructs in teaching developmental psychology. Presented at the 16th annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Petersburg Beach, FL
Snyder, S. S., & Janowitz, J. M. (March, 1995) Communicating effectively with adolescent callers. Presented to Information Specialists at ASHA's National AIDS Hotline, Research Triangle Park, NC.
Juniper, M.D., & Snyder, S.S. (May 1998) Relative Importance of Self-Esteem Sources Across Self-Concept Domains Among College Students. Poster presented at APS Convention, Washington, DC.
Shannon, L. C., & Snyder, S.S. (August, 2001) Young adult's reaction to failure: effects of domain competence and importance and self-worth. Poster to be presented at the APA Convention, San Francisco.
University Science
North Carolina State University:
• Committee on Teaching Effectiveness and Evaluation, 1990-1994
- Mini-Grants Evaluation Subcommittee of the TEEC, Chair, 1992-1994
- Guidelines for Student Evaluation of Teaching Subcommittee, Chair, 1993-1994
- Peer Evaluation of Teaching Guidelines Subcommittee, 1993-1994
• Hearing Board of the Judicial Branch of Student Government, 1990-present
• Administrative Board of the Graduate School, Elected CEP Representative,
1993-1997
- Credentials and Awards Committee of the Graduate Board, 1993-1997
- Alumni Professor Selection Committee, 1993-1997
- Graduate Student Leave Guidelines Committee, 1993-1994
- Graduate Teaching Assistant Guidelines Committee, 1993-1994
• University Selection Committee for the Board of Governors Teaching
Award, 1995-1997
• First Year College Program Committee, 1995-1996
• Residence Life Advisory Committee, 1995-1998
• University Academic Operations Council, faculty representative,
1996-1999
• Registration, Records, & Calendar Committee, 1998-00, Chair,
1999-1900
• Research Operations Council, 2000-present
• Extension Operations Council, 2000-present
• Education and Technology Fee Advisory Team, 2000-present
• Computing Standards Committee, 2001-present
College of Education and Psychology:
• Committee on Undergraduate Teacher Education, 1980-1982
• Graduate Studies Committee, 1983-88; 1990-98, Chair, 1992-1994
• Administrative Council, 1989, 1999, 2000-present
• NCATE Coordinating Committee, 1989-1991
• NCATE Committee IV, "Faculty," 1989-1991
• World Wide Web Production Board, 1994-1996
• Interim Associate Dean for Research and External Affairs, 2000-2001
• Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor Search Committee, Chair,
2000-2001
• Educational Psychology Search Committee, 2001
• Space Committee, ex officio, 2000-present
• Computer and Technology Committee, ex officio, 2000-present
• NCATE Committee E, "Faculty," 2000-present
• NCATE Committee G, 2000-present
• Associate Dean for Research and External Affairs, 2001-present
Psychology Department:
• Personnel Committee (Assistant Professor Representative), 1980-1982
• Developmental Psychology Search Committee, Member, 1980-1981
• Ad Hoc Committee on Search Activities, Chair, 1981
• Developmental Psychology Search Committee, Chair, 1982-1983
• Area Coordinator: Graduate Program in Applied Developmental Psychology,
1982-1989
• Planning Committee, 1982-1989; 1990-1992
• Graduate Programs Coordinator, 1982-1988; 1990-1993
• Steering Committee, 1982-1989; 1990-1993
• Developmental Psychology Search Committee, Member, 1984-85
• Developmental Psychology Search Committee, Chair, 1987-1988
• Ad Hoc Committee on Work and Course Load for Graduate Assistants,
Chair, 1987
• Developmental Psychology Search Committee, Member, 1988
• Interim Department Head, 1989
• Computing Coordinator, 1989-1992
• Ad Hoc Committee on Promotion Criteria, 1989
• Graduate Student Awards Committee, Chair, 1990-1998
• Ad Hoc Committee on Guidelines for Selection, Training, and Evaluation
of Graduate Student Teaching Assistants, Chair, 1992-1993
• Associate Department Head, 1993-1900
• Coordinator of Advising, 1993-1998
• Director of Graduate Programs, 1993-1900
• Interim Department Head, 1999
Teaching and Research Supervision
Undergraduate Courses Taught:
• Developmental Psychology (Child, Life-Span)
• Adolescent Development
• Educational Psychology
Graduate Seminars Taught:
• Developmental Psychology (Theories, Critical Issues, Theories
and Issues)
• Normal Growth and Behavior (Life-Span)
• Advanced Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Processes and Cognitive Development
• Adolescent Development
• Advanced Problems in Cognition (Team-taught)
• Foundations of Research (Design and Analysis)
• Social Development (Team-taught)
Research Supervision Completed:
• Doctoral (Ph.D.) — 21 dissertations directed
• Masters (M.S.) — 18 theses directed
Research Interests
Theoretical and metatheoretical issues in developmental psychology, gender issues in psycho-social development, social cognition (especially among adolescents),self-concept in adolescents and young adults, gender differences in communicating about things sexual.
last updated 4/28/08
