An understanding of the criterion of interest explains part of the emotional side of theorizing. Theorists are usually pleased when their assumptions are disconfirmed, whereas
nontheorists are worried when their assumptions are disconfirmed. A disconfirmed assumption is an opportunity for a theorist to learn something new, to discover something unexpected, to
generate renewed interest in an old question, to mystify something that had previously seemed settled, to heighten intellectual stimulation, to get recognition, and to alleviate boredom. However, a disconfirmed assumption is a problem for a nontheorist because it suggests that past experience is potentially misleading as a guide
for subsequent action and that coping may be more difficult.