Don't Be Sad. Personalized Emotional Feedback Inhibits Auditory Learning

Master's Thesis from the year 2024 in the subject Psychology - Miscellaneous, grade: 2,1, Technical University of Chemnitz (Institut für Medienforschung), course: Forschungskolloquium der Professur Psychologie Digitaler Lernmedien, language: English, abstract: Imagine a classroom where feedback isn't just about right or wrong, but where emotions become integral to the learning process. This groundbreaking study delves into the intricate world of personalized emotional feedback in online learning, specifically examining the impact of negative emotions like sadness and anger on learning performance. Going beyond traditional feedback mechanisms, this research uncovers how tailoring emotional cues can significantly alter the learner's experience, for better or worse. The core investigation centers on understanding whether personalized negative emotional feedback, delivered through auditory learning methods such as podcasts, can enhance or hinder learning outcomes compared to generic feedback approaches. It seeks to reveal the nuanced effects of expressing emotions like sadness and anger directly to the learner in a personalized manner. Further exploration examines the critical roles of mental effort and extraneous cognitive load - the mental resources consumed by irrelevant information - as mediators in the relationship between emotional feedback and learning success. The study also considers how an individual's goal orientation might influence their receptiveness to emotionally charged feedback. Using a rigorous experimental design, this research meticulously analyzes the complex interplay between personalization, emotion, cognitive processes, and learning achievement. The findings offer valuable insights into the design of more effective and emotionally intelligent online learning environments, shedding light on how educators can leverage the power of emotions to create a truly personalized and impactful learning journey. By understanding when and how to incorporate e