Emotions in Mathematics Education: a view based on complex thought

ABSTRACT This article aims to present a reflection on two theoretical notions for the study of emotions in mathematics education: experiential complexity and emotional configuration. Characteristics of complex thought are presented. This is to reflect and analyze how the rational is conceived from this perspective and how it is differentiated from complexity sciences. A synthesis of aspects related to diverse theoretical stands about research on emotions is exposed. In particular, characteristics of affective domain are synthesized to distinguish it from the approximation presented in this paper. This paper problematizes and argues on the inclusion of experiential complexity and emotional configuration notions. With these notions, this article addresses the succession of emotional configurations of a female student of pedagogy in mathematics, identifying crucial emotions in the student’s vocational decision process at the end of high school.