Publications - University of Houston
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Publications

Our researchers are pleased to share our findings in journals, at conferences and to other audiences in hopes of informing policy, programs and future research.



Master, A., Tang, D., Forsythe, D. H., Alexander, T., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (In press.) Gender equity and motivational readiness for computational thinking in early childhood. Early Childhood Research Quarterly [Special issue: Examining computational thinking in early childhood].

Sampige, R., Tang, D., Frankel, L., & Master, A. (In press). Distance learning and perceived social support: Identifying protective factors for families’ COVID-related stress and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly.

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118, e2100030118.

Master, A. (2021). Gender stereotypes influence children’s STEM motivation. Child Development Perspectives, 15, 203-210.

Zucker, T. A., Montroy, J., Master, A., Assel, M., McCallum, C., & Yeomans-Maldonado, G. (2021). Expectancy-value theory & preschool parental involvement in informal STEM learning. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 76, 101320.

Cvencek, D., Paz-Albo, J., Master, A., Herranz Llácer, C. V., Hervás-Escobar, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2020). Math is for me: A field intervention to strengthen math self-concepts in Spanish-speaking 3rd grade children. Frontiers in Psychology, 11:593995.

Master, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2020). Cultural stereotypes and sense of belonging contribute to gender gaps in STEM. International Journal of Gender, Science, and Technology, 12, 152-198. 

Goyer, J. P., Cohen, G. L., Cook, J. E., Master, A., Apfel, N., Lee, W., Henderson, A. G., Reeves, S. L., Okonofua, J. A., & Walton, G. M. (2019). Targeted identity-safety interventions cause lasting reductions in discipline citations among minority boys. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 117, 229-259.  

†Master, A., †Butler, L. P., & Walton, G. M. (2017). How the subjective relationship between the self, others, and a task drives interest. In O'Keefe, P. A., & Harackiewicz, J. M. (Eds.), The science of interest (pp. 209-226). New York, NY: Springer.  

Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2017). Social group membership increases STEM engagement among preschoolers. Developmental Psychology, 53, 201-209. 

Master, A., Cheryan, S., Moscatelli, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2017). Programming experience promotes higher STEM motivation among first-grade girls. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 160, 92-106. 

Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2016). Computing whether she belongs: Stereotypes undermine girls' interest and sense of belonging in computer science. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108, 424-437. 

Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2016). Motivation and identity. In K. R. Wentzel & D. B. Miele (Eds.), Handbook of motivation at school, 2nd edition (pp. 300-319). New York, NY: Routledge. 

Master, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2016). Building bridges between psychological science and education: Cultural stereotypes, STEM, and equity. Prospects, 46, 215-234. 

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Lent, R. (2016). Neuroscience, psychology, and society: Translating research to improve learning. Prospects, 46, 191-198. 

Cheryan, S., Master, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2015). Cultural stereotypes as gatekeepers: Increasing girls' interest in computer science and engineering by diversifying stereotypes. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 49. 

Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2014). Reducing adolescent girls' concerns about STEM stereotypes: When do female teachers matter? International Review of Social Psychology [Special issue: Stereotype threat in children], 27, 79-102.

†Bryan, C. J., †Master, A., & Walton, G. M. (2014). "Helping" vs. "being a helper": Invoking the self to increase helping in young children. Child Development, 85, 1836-1842.

Romero, C., Master, A., Paunesku, D., Dweck, C. S., & Gross, J. J. (2014). Academic and emotional functioning in middle school: The role of implicit theories. Emotion, 14, 227-234. 

*Yeager, D. S., Purdie-Vaughns, V., Garcia, J., Apfel, N., Brzustoski, P., Master, A., Hessert, W. T., Williams, M. E., & Cohen, G. L. (2014). Breaking the cycle of mistrust: Wise interventions to provide critical feedback across the racial divide. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143, 804-824. 
*Recipient of the 2015 Robert B. Cialdini Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology 

Master, A., & Walton, G. M. (2013). Minimal groups increase young children's motivation and learning on group-relevant tasks. Child Development, 84, 737-751. 

Master, A., Markman, E. M., & Dweck, C. S. (2012). Thinking in categories or along a continuum: Consequences for children's social judgments. Child Development, 83, 1145-1163. 

Cohen, G. L., Garcia, J., Apfel, N., & Master, A. (2011; 2007). A self-affirmation intervention to reduce the racial achievement gap. In E. Aronson & J. Aronson (Eds.), Readings about the social animal, 10th edition (pp. 304-315) and 11th edition (pp. 288-299). New York: Worth Freeman. 

Dweck, C. S., & Master, A. (2009). Self-concept. In W. Carey, A. Crocker, E. Elias, H. Feldman, & W. Coleman (Eds.), Developmental-behavioral pediatrics, 4th edition (pp. 427-435). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. 

Dweck, C. S., & Master, A. (2009). Self-theories and motivation: Students' beliefs about intelligence. In K. R. Wentzel & A. Wigfield (Eds.), Handbook of motivation at school (pp. 123-140). New York, NY: Routledge. 

Lepper, M. R., Master, A., & Yow, W. Q. (2008). Intrinsic motivation in education. In M. L. Maehr, S. A. Karabenick, & T. C. Urdan (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement, Volume 15: Social psychological perspectives (pp. 521-555). Bingley, UK: Emerald. 

Dweck, C. S., & Master, A. (2007). Self-theories motivate self-regulated learning. In D. H. Schunk & B. Zimmerman (Eds.), Motivation and self-regulated learning: Theory, research, and applications (pp. 31-51). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. 

Cohen, G. L., Garcia, J., Apfel, N., & Master, A. (2006). Reducing the racial achievement gap: A social-psychological intervention. Science, 313, 1307-1310. 
†Authors contributed equally.


†Jarvis, M., Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2020). Feeling connected to others can improve STEM engagement. National Science Foundation 2020 STEM For All Video Showcase.  

†Recipient of a Presenter’s Choice Award; one of “Most Discussed” Presentations 

Cheryan, S., Master, A., Pope, T., & Yamamoto, K. (2018). Redesigning environments increases girls' interest in CS. National Science Foundation 2018 STEM For All Video Showcase. 

*Master, A., Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N., Mendoza, J., & Moscatelli, A. (2018). Empowering young girls in STEM. National Science Foundation 2018 STEM For All Video Showcase. 

*Recipient of a Facilitator's Choice Award  

Cheryan, S., Master, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2017). The gender gap in tech isn't set in stone. The Los Angeles Times. 

Master, A. (2017). Make STEM social to motivate preschoolers. NAEYC. 

Master, A. (2017). Module 19: Early STEM Learning [online module]. Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (producer). 

Master, A. (2017). Teachers' mindsets about math (and why they matter). Teaching Young Children. 

Master, A. (2017). Ten things to know about math. NAEYC. 

Master, A. (2016). Group work gets kids more engaged in STEM. The Conversation. Reposted by SFGate.com and The Christian Science Monitor.  

Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2016). Researchers explain how stereotypes keep girls out of computer science classes. The Washington Post. 

Master, A. (2015). Countering stereotypes and enhancing women's sense of belonging to reduce gender gaps in pSTEM. Mindset Scholars Network.  

Master, A. (2015). Praise that makes learners more resilient. Mindset Scholars Network. 

Master, A. (2015). Want girls to be more interested in computer science? Change some classroom stereotypes. The Conversation. Reposted by Time.com and iflscience.com. 

Master, A., Cheryan, S., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2015). How cultural stereotypes push girls away from computer science and what we can do to fix it. Neuroeducação, 4, 53-57. 

Cheryan, S., Master, A., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2022). There are too few women in computer science and engineering. Scientific American.

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2022). Cracking the code: Encouraging girls in computer science and engineering. Nature Partner Journals Science of Learning.

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2022). How do gender stereotypes impact girls’ interest in science? Science Journal for Kids.

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Stereotypes about girls dissuade many from careers in computer science. The Conversation.

Jarvis, M., Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N. & Master, A. (2021). Who likes computer science? How gender stereotypes about interest shape children’s motivation. National Science Foundation 2021 STEM for All Video Showcase.


Alexander, T., Meltzoff, A. N., Cheryan, S., & Master, A. (2022, April). Understanding math gender gaps by grade level and race/ethnicity: A cross-sectional investigation. In F. Law (Chair), Understanding the antecedents of gender and ethnic underrepresentation in STEM: Stereotypes, motivation, and belonging. Symposium submitted to the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

Master, A., Cheryan, S., Stier, E., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2022, April). Consequences of teaching girls about structural causes of gender differences in STEM. In J. Gladstone (Chair), Motivational messages to broaden participation in STEM: Important Features of Messages and Messengers. Symposium submitted to the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

Sriutaisuk, S., & Master, A. (2022, April). Developmental trajectories of students’ growth mindsets in STEM: A cohort-sequential longitudinal study. Presentation submitted to the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

Tang, D., Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N., & Master, A. (2022, April). Understanding how ability stereotypes predict girls’ math self-concepts: A longitudinal investigation. In S. Wan (Chair), Understanding students’ math self-concept: Its relation with achievement, development, and educational implications. Symposium submitted to the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

Alexander, T., Meltzoff, A. N., Cheryan, S., & Master, A. (2021, September). How endorsement of gender stereotypes predicts adolescents’ interest in math. In F. Law & L. McGuire, STEM gender stereotypes in childhood and adolescence: Consequences and challenges. Symposium presented the British Psychological Society Virtual Conference.

Alexander, T., Meltzoff, A. N., Cheryan, S., & Master, A. (2021, November). How endorsement of gender stereotypes predicts adolescents’ interest in math. Poster submitted to the Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Hybrid Conference.

Master A. (2021, October). Counteracting stereotypes to boost girls’ interest in STEM. Talk to be given remotely at the Human Development, Culture, and Learning Sciences Colloquium, University of Texas-Austin.

Master, A. (2021, February). Counteracting stereotypes to boost girls’ interest in computer science. Talk presented at the Texas Computer Science Teachers of America (CSTA) Virtual Conference.

Master, A. (2021, August). Let’s get motivated! Invited keynote, Transfer Student Success Conference, University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, TX.

Master, A. (2021, April). Rewriting the story: Counteracting stereotypes to boost girls’ interest in STEM. Talk given remotely at the Child Development Lecture Series, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA.

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021, April). The emergence of ability stereotypes and gender differences across STEM fields. In J. Gladstone (Chair), “Yes we can”: Improving equity in education through STEM motivation and engagement. Symposium presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

Tang, D., Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N., & Master, A. (2021, May). Children and adolescents’ stereotypes and motivation in STEM and language arts. Flash Talk presented at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) Virtual Convention

Sampige, R., Frankel, L., Tang, D., & Master, A. (2021, April). Analyzing the relationship between children’s schooling modality and parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster presented at the University of Houston Undergraduate Research Day, Virtual Conference.

Sriutaisuk, S., Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N., & Master, A. (2021, May 26–September 1). Growth mindsets reduce the negative effects of gender stereotypes on students’ STEM motivation [Poster session]. 2021 APS Virtual Convention.

Tennison, M., Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N., & Master, A. (2021, April). Gender stereotypes about interest cause gender disparities in children’s motivation in STEM. In C. Starr (Chair), Gender stereotypes and STEM motivation: Experimental, longitudinal, meta-analytic, and intervention research across the lifespan. Symposium presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD).

Master, A. (2020, November). Rewriting the story: Counteracting stereotypes to boost girls’ interest in STEM. Talk given remotely at the Uppsala Child & Baby Lab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

Master, A., Tennison, M., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2020). Gender stereotypes about interest cause gender disparities in children’s motivation in STEM. Poster presented at the National Science Foundation EHR Core Research PI Meeting, Alexandria, VA. https://osf.io/3wtqc/