Sharing Emotions Contributes to Regulating Collaborative Intentions in Group Problem-Solving

Abstract

Collaborative problem-solving has been gaining attention as more and more students and employees work together all around the world to find solutions to complex problems. This trend goes hand in hand with a growing interest in the role of affective processes in learning and problem-solving fields. However, the comprehension of real-time dynamics between emotional sharing and collaborative exchanges (what we propose to call "collaborative act") still needs to be deepened. The challenge is especially on understanding the interplay between real-time changes in epistemic and relational dimensions. In this study, we propose to explore this question in dyadic creative problem-solving. Eleven pairs of participants used an argument graph tool to co-create a slogan against violence at school. The tool was used to write down slogans and build a joint map of the group argumentation. During the collaboration, they had access to an emotion awareness tool, allowing them to share emotional labels in real time. An indicator of real-time use was computed to track ongoing changes in collaborative acts during collaboration. Then, using both inferential and descriptive statistics, we first investigated whether emotional sharing induces real-time adaptation of both emitter's and receiver's collaborative acts. Second, we looked at privileged relationships between emitter's collaborative acts, emitter's emotion sharing, and receiver's collaborative acts. The preliminary results obtained (1) confirm that emotional sharing regulates emitter's and receiver's collaborative acts and (2) strongly suggest that specific emotions mark specific patterns of collaboration in different collaborative phases, implying both the epistemic and the relational spaces of collaboration. These results highlight the value of studying emotional sharing for a deeper comprehension of the factors regulating collaborative problem-solving. Perspectives in educational psychology and computer science are considered, with the will to understand and promote better self-and co-regulation of collaborative problem-solving through emotional sharing.

Social sensitivity: a manifesto for CSCL research

“…With this term, we hope to incite CSCL researchers to engage more collectively in co-elaborating their understanding of CSCL and communicating the benefits and risks of the use of technologies. We believe that CSCL research can bring about positive changes as emerging studies indicate that computer-based collaborative tools can promote emotional support, perspective-taking, and meaning making in collaborative groups (e.g., Avry et al, 2020;Slakmon & Schwarz, 2019). This growing evidence should be consolidated and coherently communicated both within and beyond academic discussions.…”

The long-term impact of early adverse experience on adaptive functioning: a pilot study integrating measures of mental status, nonverbal communication, and heart rate variability

“…It is interesting to note how on a phylogenetic level, signs of pacification appeared in non-human primates to favour the transition from relationships based on social ranking (competitive) to forms of relationship based on cooperation (De Waal, 1989 ). Overall, the presence of submissive behaviours is crucial for the establishment of complex forms of relationships, based on intersubjectivity, shared emotions, and shared objectives (Avry et al, 2020 ; Keltner & Haidt, 1999 ). However, in order to implement this set of behaviours, the individual needs to have a positive self-representation that underlies a representation of the other as trustworthy.…”

“Anything taking shape?” Capturing various layers of small group collaborative problem solving in an experiential geometry course in initial teacher education

“…As Kapur (2011) pointed out, "learning in general, and problem solving in particular, is a continuous, dynamic process that evolves over time" (p. 39). In the current work, studying temporality in collaborative learning and CPS processes is inspired by the previous work of several authors (e.g., Avry et al, 2020;Csanadi et al, 2018;Kapur, 2011;Reimann, 2009Reimann, , 2021Reimann et al, 2011;Stahl, 2017;Swiecki et al, 2020).…”

“…CPS is a complex and dynamic construct, where the "complexity label" is not based on cognitive demands but refers to the definition of the CPS comprising multiple interacting elements (Scoular et al, 2017). Grounded in the socio-cognitive approach to learning, CPS lies in a two-dimensional space of social and cognitive domains that are tightly coupled and intermingle in the problem-solving process (e.g., Avry et al, 2020;Care et al, 2016;Dowell et al, 2020;Hesse et al, 2015;Swiecki et al, 2020). Given the social nature of CPS, the socio-cognitive properties reside and evolve in interaction between the problem solvers (Dowell et al, 2020).…”