Both Julia and Celia are equally negative about their daughters' competencies in mathematics, based on the daughters equally poor math performances. Yet, over the next two years, Julia's daughter shows distinct improvements in math whereas Celia's daughter does not. Pomerantz and Dong (2006) might explain this result by suggesting that

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This result can be explained by Pomerantz and Dong's (2006) research on parental messages about academic abilities. Julia, who showed improvement in her daughter's math performance, may have been more inclined than Celia to send the message that academic competencies can be improved by working harder. This idea is consistent with an incremental theory of intelligence that emphasizes effort and learning over innate ability, which has been linked to better academic outcomes. Therefore, the answer is B.

Both Julia and Celia Are Equally Negative About Their Daughters