Contact Information
Research Areas
Research Interests
The central question guiding Dr. Pomerantz's research is that of how to facilitate children's motivation and achievement in school. Dr. Pomerantz's research group focuses primarily on the role of parents, with a current study on how to support parents in optimizing children's learning in the area of math. A key theme of Dr. Pomerantz's research is understanding how the cultural context in which children and parents reside shapes children's motivation and achievement; to date, the focus has been on the United States and China.
Education
Ph.D. from New York University
Additional Campus Affiliations
Professor, Psychology
Professor, Gender and Women's Studies
Affiliate, Social & Behavioral Science Institute
Director, Social & Behavioral Science Institute
Recent Publications
Alampay, L. P., Zietz, S., Pomerantz, E., Lansford, J. E., Deater-Deckard, K., Giunta, L. D., Dodge, K. A., Gurdal, S., Junla, D., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Rothenberg, W. A., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Steinberg, L., Tirado, L. M. U., Yotanyamaneewong, S., Al-Hassan, S. M., Bacchini, D., ... Chang, L. (2026). Change Over Time in Parental Psychological Control in Nine Countries. Social Development, 35(4), Article e70097. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.70097
MacDonald, C., Barger, M. M., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2026). Parents’ math cognitions: Implications for children’s math adjustment in early elementary school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 118(5), 720-734. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0001038
Wu, J., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2026). Parents’ involvement in children's math learning: Motivational resources matter. Child Development Perspectives, 20(3), 148-154. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdpers/aadag004
Pomerantz, E. M., Wu, J., & MacDonald, C. (2025). The role of parenting in children's math learning: A dual-pathway model. Advances in child development and behavior, 69, 193-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2025.07.004
Chen, X., McElwain, N. L., Pomerantz, E. M., & Wang, M. (2024). Maternal autonomy support and intrusive control in the United States and China: Moment-to-moment associations with preschoolers’ agency and defeat. Developmental psychology, 60(6), 1016-1027. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001723