The role of epistemic emotions in mathematics problem solving

• Antecedents and consequences of emotions during complex mathematics problem solving were explored.
• Students in grade 5 solved a complex mathematics problem over several days.
• Results revealed control and value served as important antecedents to emotions.
• Emotions predicted the types of strategies students used over three phases of self-regulated learning.
• Strategies predicted mathematics problem solving achievement.

The purpose of this research was to examine the antecedents and consequences of epistemic and activity emotions in the context of complex mathematics problem solving. Seventy-nine elementary students from the fifth grade participated. Students self-reported their perceptions of control and value specific to mathematics problem solving, and were given a complex mathematics problem to solve over a period of several days. At specific time intervals during problem solving, students reported their epistemic and activity emotions. To capture self-regulatory processes, students thought out loud as they solved the problem. Path analyses revealed that both perceived control and value served as important antecedents to the epistemic and activity emotions students experienced during problem solving. Epistemic and activity emotions also predicted the types of processing strategies students used across three phases of self-regulated learning during problem solving. Finally, shallow and deep processing cognitive and metacognitive strategies positively predicted problem-solving performance. Theoretical and educational implications are discussed.