About me

I am a developmental cognitive neuroscientist studying neural mechanisms that explain how childhood trauma impacts emotion functioning in adolescence and contributes to the development of psychopathology.

I’m particularly interested in how exposure to violence may impact the functioning of brain networks involved in the perception of bodily states and the representation and conceptualization of emotions.

My research interests and pedagogical philosophy are informed by my education and training in Neuroscience and Developmental Psychology and my experiences as a middle school science teacher in a high poverty setting.

Recent Publications

  1. Weissman, D. G. Rubbani, S. DeCross, S. N., Kasparek, S. W., McLaughlin, K. A. (2025). Granularity of emotions in brain and behavior and resilience to childhood violence exposure. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2025.05.012

  2. Weissman, D. G., Vartiainen, H. I., Nook, E. C., Lambert, H. K., Sasse, S. F., Somerville, L. H., McLaughlin, K. A. (2024). Perceptual sensitivity to labeling stereotyped emotion expressions: Associations with age and subclinical psychopathology symptoms from childhood through early adulthood. Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001441 pdf

  3. Weissman, D. G., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., Cikara, M., Barch, D. M., McLaughlin, K. A. (2023) State-level macro-economic factors moderate the association of low income with brain structure and mental health in U.S. children. Nature Communications. 14(1), 2085. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37778-1 pdf

  4. Weissman, D. G., Baum, G., Sanders, A., Rosen, M. L., Barch, D., McLaughlin, K. A., & Somerville, L. (2023). Family income is not significantly associated with T1w/T2w ratio in the Human Connectome Project in Development. Imaging Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00021 pdf

  5. Weissman, D. G., Rosen, M. L., Lengua, L. J., Sambrook, K. A., Sheridan, M. A., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2022) Exposure to violence as an environmental pathway linking low socioeconomic status with altered neural processing of threat and adolescent psychopathology. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 34(10), 1892-1905. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01825 pdf

full list of publications

Teaching

As a secondary science and substitute teacher, a college Psychology instructor at Mount Tamalpais College in San Quentin prison, and a college professor, I have taught a full breadth of possible academic disciplines to students from age 7 to 70, who have been diverse in every conceivable way. Based on this experience I try to apply a diverse, multimodal, inclusive, practical, and interactive pedagogy at the university level. Links to course materials for all my courses can be found below. I’ve uploaded materials for my Mount Tamalpais College classes to OSF. Upon the completion of each semester, I will share the public canvas for all my classes at CSU Dominguez Hills.

Courses:

CSU Dominguez Hills

  • PSY 351: Psychology of the Adolescent Experience (Spring, Fall 2024)

    Course Materials: Online, In Person

  • Psy 550: Seminar in Developmental Psychology (Spring 2024)

    Course Materials

Mount Tamalpais College

Diversity and Inclusion

As a white, cisgendered, heterosexual male, I recognize that my identity and outward presentation have garnered me unearned and unfair privileges in academia and in the world at large. As a scientist, teacher, member of a university community, and citizen, I am committed to:

  1. Continuously reflecting on and confronting my own assumptions and biases.
  2. Doing my part to reform and dismantle oppressive systems, including those in academia.
  3. Calling out instances of discrimination.
  4. Teaching about the contributions of underrepresented people to science as well as the ways that science has been used as a tool for oppression.
  5. Befriending, mentoring, learning from, citing, listening to, and elevating the voices of underrepresented and marginalized people, students, and scholars.