Epistemic emotions like surprise, curiosity, and confusion signal that learning is happening. These uncomfortable feelings mean your mental model is being challenged, which is when the deepest learning occurs.
Paper: The Role of Epistemic Emotions in Personal Epistemology and Self-Regulated Learning
The moments when you feel most confused oftentimes come right before the most profound understanding.
Epistemic emotions are feelings tied to knowledge: surprise when expectations fail, curiosity when you sense gaps, confusion when information doesn't fit.
However, don't think of these emotions as obstacles. Think of them as signals.
Surprise means your mental model needs updating. Curiosity indicates a gap you're motivated to close. Confusion means you're wrestling with complexity rather than glossing over it.
Therefore, a learner who never feels confused probably isn't being challenged. A learner who never feels surprised is likely just confirming what they already believe.
The best learning experiences cultivate these emotions. They create surprise. They spark curiosity before giving answers. They let learners sit with confusion long enough to work through it.