Affective experience during situated collaborative problem solving is organized around a stable epistemic core linking curiosity, optimism, and confusion with short-range persistence¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · checked against its sources 2026-10-18 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Across ONA models, curiosity, optimism, and confusion form a stable core with the strongest ordered connections, including self-transitions, indicating short-range persistence rather than frequent switching. → Sifatul Anindho 2026

Evidence¶

Sifatul Anindho 2026¶

Sifatul Anindho, Videep Venkatesha, Jaclyn Ocumpaugh, and Nathaniel Blanchard. (2026). Ordered Network Analysis of Epistemic Emotions during Collaborative Problem Solving. https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.23317 doi:10.48550/arxiv.2607.23317

q2 · i? · associational · r1

ONA of retrospective cued-recall affect reports from 9 groups completing a situated CPS task shows a "stable epistemic core which links curiosity, optimism and confusion" with the strongest ordered connections and self-transitions, indicating short-range persistence rather than frequent switching.

"Across ONA models, we observe a stable epistemic core which links curiosity, optimism and confusion. These states were consistently involved in the strongest ordered connections, including self-transitions, indicating that affective experience during collaboration is often characterized by short-range persistence rather than frequent switching."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Interest — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes
• Achievement Emotions — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Related Claims¶

• Curious, optimistic, and confused are the most frequently reported affective states, and self-caught reports are more evenly distributed than probe-caught reports — related
• Faster CPS groups show stronger transitions among curiosity and optimism, while slower groups show stronger transitions among confusion, conflict, and frustration — related
• Probe-caught affect reports show stronger self-loops among core epistemic states, while self-caught reports show more distributed transitions involving higher-arousal states — related
• Emotion dynamics during problem-solving predict learning outcomes in a manner that depends on scaffolding design — related
• In over 60% of inquiry threads of low-achieving students, curiosity was followed by confusion, and joy or confusion by curiosity (sequential patterns, not shown causes) — related
• Most variance in students' epistemic emotions was situational (within-person) fluctuation, with 18–37% due to between-person variability. — related
• Situational motivation is highly context-dependent and fluctuates within and between learners, but most studies rely on self-reports — related
• Curiosity gains depend on operator sequencing: how operators are ordered across turns, not only which operator is applied, shapes curiosity induction — related
• Low-achieving students' emotions in Knowledge Building threads tended to transition to the same or similar emotions — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Curiosity is a special case of interest, with the two constructs overlapping in a part-whole rather than mutually exclusive relationship — related
• A UK-wide expert panel (n=30) conceptualised transitions-context emotional wellbeing as affective state, tangible signs of adjustment, and mechanisms to maintain a stable affective state — related
• Curiosity and situational interest differ on five dimensions: theoretical account, biology, triggers, affect, and information search — related