Faculty Profiles

Colleges and Departments

Dr. Rebecca Gwynne Deason

  • Professor - Psychology

Education

Doctorate Degree

PhD in Psychology

Neuroscience

Univ of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2008

Bachelor's Degree

BA in Psychology

Cognitive Science

Carleton College, 1999

Teaching Interests

Research Interests

  • Deason, Rebecca Gwynne (Co-Principal), Westerberg, Carmen E (Co-Principal). Contributions of prosocial engagement, sleep and epigenetics to dementia risk, Department of Psychology Research Support Fund, Texas State University, $8000. (Funded: December 2025 - Present). Grant.
  • Deason, Rebecca Gwynne (Principal), Westerberg, Carmen E (Principal). The contribution of sleep to music-related memory enhancements, Texas State Research Enhancement Program, Texas State University, $15582. (Funded: 2021 - 2024). Grant.
  • Deason, Rebecca G (Principal). How does music enhance memory? Electrophysiological correlates of musical mnemonics in young adults and healthy older adults, Research Enhancement Program, Institutional (Higher Ed), $8000. (Funded: 2016 - 2017). Grant.
  • Deason, Rebecca G (Principal). New flexible learning in patients with Alzheimer's disease, VA VISN 1 Early Career Development Award, VA New England, Federal, $170512. (Funded: 2010 - 2012). Grant.
  • Westerberg, C. E., Fickle, S. E., Troupe, C. E., Madden-Rusnak, A., & Deason, R. G. (2025). An afternoon nap facilitates analogical transfer in creative problem solving. Journal of Sleep Research, 34(4), e14419. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14419
  • Stern, M. J., Finch, A., Haskard-Zolnierek, K. B., Howard, K., & Deason, R. G. (2023). Cognitive Decline in Mid-Life: Changes in Memory and Cognition Related to Hypothyroidism. Journal of Health Psychology, 28(4), 388–401.
  • Grelle, K., Shrestha, N. R., Ximenes, M., Perrotte, J. K., Cordaro, M., Deason, R. G., & Howard, K. J. (2023). The generation gap revisited: Generational differences in mental health, maladaptive coping behaviors, and pandemic-related concerns during the initial COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Adult Development, 30(4), 381–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-023-09442-x
  • Clark, E., Daley, R. T., Deason, R. G., O’Connor, M. K., Budson, A. E., & DeCaro, R. E. (2022). Cue-utilization in the imagination inflation effect paradigm in older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology, 36(4), 297–313.
  • Deason, R. G., Strong, J. V., Tat, M. J., Simmons-Stern, N. R., & Budson, A. E. (2019). Explicit and implicit memory for music in healthy older adults and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 41, 158–169. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2018.1510904
View all scholarly/creative works
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Development Leave Award, Texas State University. August 2020 - May 2021
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Presidential Distinction Award, Texas State University. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Golden Apple Award, College of Liberal Arts. 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alpha Chi Honor Society. May 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Achievement Award for Excellence, College of Liberal Arts. August 2018
View all awards
  1. Member

    University Lecture Series Committee

  2. Organizer

    Price Center Aging Well Panels

  3. Other

    Alliance of Researchers in Aging

  4. Chair

    Student Awards Committee, Psychology Department, Texas State University

  5. Organizer

    Research Brown Bag Series, Psychology Department, Texas State University

  6. Member

    Committee on Belonging and Cohesion

  7. View all activities