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Psychophysiological methods to study the triggers of interest: a Singapore case study

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Abstract

Interest is an essential motivational component that plays a significant role in learning. It is therefore important to have a better understanding of how interest is triggered for it to develop into a more developed and productive form of interest. Most studies of interest have historically relied on self-report measures, with participants being unable to provide a full and accurate reporting on the triggering process of interest. This is because triggers of interest are characteristically unexpected and fleeting. It has therefore been suggested to use observational studies to collect richer and more detailed data on the triggering process of interest. This paper investigates how interest is triggered using observational methods from a case study analysis of data collected from a 10-week coding programme coupled with the use of psychophysiological measures as a novel measure of triggered interest. Findings together with implications and future research are discussed.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available to ensure the confidentiality of the participants.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Education, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Aik Lim Tan & Azilawati Jamaludin

  2. School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Robyn Gillies

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  1. Aik Lim Tan
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  2. Robyn Gillies
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  3. Azilawati Jamaludin
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Correspondence to Aik Lim Tan.

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Tan, A.L., Gillies, R. & Jamaludin, A. Psychophysiological methods to study the triggers of interest: a Singapore case study. Curr Psychol 42, 28298–28308 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03936-9

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