Dr. Nancy Eisenberg is a distinguished developmental psychologist and Regents Professor at Arizona State University, where she has established herself as a leading authority in the field of child development. Born in 1950, she earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of Michigan in 1972 before completing her M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology at the University of California, Berkeley in 1976. She joined Arizona State University as a Professor of Psychology and was elevated to Regents' Professor in 1991, representing the highest academic rank at the institution. Her leadership in the field has been recognized through prominent roles including President of the Western Psychological Association from 2014 to 2015 and served as Division 7 President of the American Psychological Association.
Dr. Eisenberg's groundbreaking research has revolutionized our understanding of emotional and social development in children through her systematic investigations of moral development, empathy, and altruism. Her longitudinal studies, conducted through her research laboratory at Arizona State University, have elucidated the complex relationships between emotion regulation, social competence, and psychological adjustment across diverse cultural contexts. With over 150,000 citations according to Google Scholar, her work has established foundational frameworks for understanding how children develop prosocial behaviors and moral reasoning. Her research extends to cultural factors in emotion regulation, developmental psychopathology, and the socialization processes that shape children's empathetic responses, providing critical insights for both theoretical and applied approaches in developmental science.
Beyond her research accomplishments, Professor Eisenberg has profoundly influenced the field through her mentorship of numerous undergraduate and graduate students who contribute to her ongoing longitudinal studies of child development across multiple international contexts. Her exceptional contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards including the G. Stanley Hall Award for Distinguished Contribution to Developmental Psychology in 2009 and the William James Fellow Award for Career Contributions to the Basic Science of Psychology in 2011. She has authored or contributed to a vast number of publications that continue to shape theoretical and applied approaches to child development. Currently, her laboratory remains active in investigating the interplay between emotional regulation and social functioning, particularly among children at risk for developmental challenges, ensuring her continued impact on the science of human development for future generations.
