Interestingness?A neglected variable in discourse processing

Abstract

Symptomatic of a contemporary concern with affective factors in cognitive processing, a corpus of research is now emerging on the role of interestingness in discourse processing. This research has concentrated on narrative prose and has adopted a structural approach, arguing for the centrality of event and discourse structure in producing an affect like interest. The authors point out that this approach considers only one type of interest—knowledge-triggered —to the exclusion of another important type—value-triggered. A more comprehensive understanding of interest will only be achieved by researching other genres, such as exposition, and by considering the multiple sources of interest-producing conditions. We suggest the notion of “informational significance” as an inclusive term, and underline the need for a process-based understanding of interest.