Affect and mathematical thinking : Exploring developments, trends, and future directions

D. B. McLeod's framework that identified three main topics of research in mathematics related to affect: emotions, attitudes, and beliefs. The main focus of such studies over the years concerned: the structure of affect and the relation between affective variables and achievement, the role of affect in mathematical problem solving and problem posing, and change in students' affect. One important area of research on mathematics-related affect is the role of different affective constructs in the process of mathematical thinking with problem solving. Despite the improved understanding of mathematics-related affect, the general trend still is that enjoyment of mathematics decreases over the school years. The reflections about methodology developed over the years in Congress of European Research in Mathematics Education (CERME) have had a great impact on the development of several critical issues in the field of affect. Comparative research on mathematics-related affect has confirmed that while some research findings about affect are universal, some other findings are contextual.Peer reviewe