Affect and Mathematical Problem Solving

Research on cognitive aspects of mathematical problem solving has made great progress in recent years, but the relationship of affective factors to problem-solving performance has been a neglected research area. The purpose of Affect and Mathematical Problem Solving: A New Perspective is to show how the theories and methods of cognitive science can be extended to include the role of affect in mathematical problem solving. The book presents Mandler's theory of emotion and explores its implications for the learning and teaching of mathematical problem solving. Also, leading researchers from mathematics, education, and psychology report how they have integrated affect into their own cognitive research. The studies focus on metacognitive processes, aesthetic influences on expert problem solvers, teacher decision-making, technology and teaching problem solving, and beliefs about mathematics. The results suggest how emotional factors like anxiety, frustration, joy, and satisfaction can help or hinder performance in problem solving.

I A Theory of Affect for Mathematical Problem Solving. - 1 Affect and Learning: Causes and Consequences of Emotional Interactions. - 2 The Role of Affect in Mathematical Problem Solving. - 3 Describing the Affective Domain: Saying What We Mean. - II Studies of Learning. - 4 Affect in Schema Knowledge: Source and Impact. - 5 Aesthetic Influences on Expert Mathematical Problem Solving. - 6 Self-Confidence, Interest, Beliefs, and Metacognition: Key Influences on Problem-Solving Behavior. - 7 Information Technologies and Affect in Mathematical Experiences. - 8 Searching for Affect in the Solution of Story Problems in Mathematics. - III Studies of Teaching. - 9 Young Children s Emotional Acts While Engaged in Mathematical Problem Solving. - 10 Teaching Practices and Student Affect in Problem-Solving Lessons of Select Junior-High Mathematics Teachers. - 11 Affect and Problem Solving in an Elementary School Mathematics Classroom. - 12 Affective Factors and Computational Estimation Ability. - 13 Affective Issues in Teaching Problem Solving: A Teacher s Perspective. - IV Responses to the Theory. - 14 The Study of Affect and Mathematics: A Proposed Generic Model for Research. - 15 Psychological Conceptions of Mathematics and Emotion. - V Looking Back. - 16 Affect and Learning: Reflections and Prospects. - 17 Beliefs, Attitudes, and Emotions: New Views of Affect in Mathematics Education. - Author Index.