In the Introduction section we explicitly contrasted the
knowledge-deprivation account of situational interest with the
trigger-maintenance hypothesis.We did so to elucidate the focus of
the knowledge-deprivation hypothesis on the causal role of lack of
knowledge in producing situational interest, an element not
stressed by the trigger-maintenance hypothesis. In reality both
hypotheses are not mutually exclusive and in fact show considerable
overlap. Both predict that a precipitating event is needed to
elicit increased levels of situational interest. And although researchers
working within the trigger-maintenance framework
stress novelty and surprise as characteristics of an educationally
successful trigger, and do not refer to lack of knowledge as a reason
why a trigger may be perceived as novel or surprising, it is easy to
accept that a trigger may be novel or surprising only because the
learner lacks appropriate knowledge. In addition, although triggermaintenance
researchers stress the importance of maintenance of
situational interest for learning to occur (which we do not), one
might argue that, if maintenance at a sufficiently high level fails,
situational interest is likely to drop. We believe, therefore, that our
findings contribute to the literature particularly by focusing the
attention on the central role of knowledge, or lack thereof, in
parsimoniously explaining the various situational interest phenomena.
See for further discussion of our position Section 7 below