Effects of two types of numerical problems on emotions experienced in adults and 9-year-old children.

Maria Chiara Liverani      Eleni Kalogirou     Edouard Gentaz

Published: November 29, 2023, PLOS ONE

This article, published on November 29, 2023, in PLOS ONE, presents the findings of research investigating the epistemic and achievement emotions experienced by 9-year-old children and adults when solving two types of numerical problems: those associated with the use of a specific and expected algorithm to be solved, and that are regularly proposed at school; and those necessitating the application of a personal problem-solving strategy. The results indicated that adults reported more positive emotions towards problems that are part of the classic school curriculum. In addition, anxiety levels were higher in children when tackling problems requiring the implementation of a personal problem-solving strategy. According to the authors, it is crucial to diversify the types of problems incorporated into school curricula to familiarize children with various problem-solving strategies. This approach may prove instrumental in mitigating negative emotions related to mathematics, such as anxiety, which often manifests as early as elementary school.