ISSN : 1226-9654
Interest can be conceptualized as an emotional state which results from stimuli interpretation and comprehension, and also as a motivator which leads an individual to a specific behavior. Although it is generally accepted that interest plays an important role in interpreting stimuli, selecting information, deciding processing priority, and allocating attention in the process of learning and cognition, there has been no systematic approach on the concept of interest within the field of cognitive psychology. To emphasize on the importance and necessity of research on interest, this review examines the conceptual definitions on interest, the overview for previous research, the interest generation process, and the relationship between interest and other cognitive components. This review focuses on the role of interest in text comprehension and a hypothetical model for the generation of cognitive interests(text-based interest).