"Anyone interested in emotions will find this book on the emotion of interest immensely interesting! If you are among those who question the status of interest as an emotion, this book will convince you. This very real emotion not only exists, but also plays a major role in shaping our lives. This book goes a long way toward documenting what I have long believed. Of all the emotions, interest has the greatest long-term impact across the life span."--Carroll E. Izard, PhD, Trustees Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Delaware "Providing an exceptional critical examination of decades of theory and research, this book is a very significant contribution to our knowledge about the nature of interest and curiosity. The experience of interest is relevant to virtually every domain of human functioning including science, education, athletics, creativity, leisure, journalism, and politics. Thus, Silvia's thoughtful, scholarly, and provocative account of what is known about interest can appeal to those inside and outside of psychology."--Todd B. Kashdan, PhD, Department of Psychology, George Mason University "Silvia has done a good critical job throughout in terms of demanding that researchers' models have sound theoretical basis...Ultimatley, this book is a pretty good breakdown of a very diverse literature."--Applied Cognitive Psychology "Anyone interested in emotions will find this book on the emotion of interest immensely interesting! If you are among those who question the status of interest as an emotion, this book will convince you. This very real emotion not only exists, but also plays a major role in shaping our lives. This book goes a long way toward documenting what I have long believed. Of all the emotions, interest has the greatest long-term impact across the life span."--Carroll E. Izard, PhD, Trustees Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Delaware "Providing an exceptional critical examination of decades of theory and research, this book is a very significant contribution to our knowledge about the nature of interest and curiosity. The experience of interest is relevant to virtually every domain of human functioning including science, education, athletics, creativity, leisure, journalism, and politics. Thus, Silvia's thoughtful, scholarly, and provocative account of what is known about interest can appeal to those inside and outside of psychology."--Todd B. Kashdan, PhD, Department of Psychology, George Mason University "Silvia has done a good critical job throughout in terms of demanding that researchers' models have sound theoretical basis...Ultimatley, this book is a pretty good breakdown of a very diverse literature."--Applied Cognitive Psychology

Paul J. Silvia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His research explores the emotion of interest, particularly what makes things interesting or boring. In his free time, he drinks coffee, pets Lia, his Bernese Mountain Dog, and writes books. He is always asked why he finds interest interesting, but he doesn't know. Exploring the Psychology of Interest is his second book.