From a constructionist and interactionist perspective, researchers have shown that the socio-cognitive conflict leads to a cognitive development by students in solving-problem tasks in small groups. Based on the paradigm that affective factors are interconnected to the social and cognitive ones, this study aimed to observe sixteen 6th and 7th grade students in working in pairs, how they manage simultaneously: the solution search to four given algebraic problems, the interpersonal relationship and the anxiety generated by the difficulties eventually found. The sessions were recorded in video and qualitatively analyzed. It was observed that: (1) all groups manifested anxiety related to the difficulties of the task; (2) good interactions facilitated anxiety management; (3) bad interactions worsened performance, were additional source of anxiety and inhibited the emergence of socio-cognitive conflicts; (4) good interactions and appropriate management of anxiety benefited a good performance on the task, but could not assure a good performance when at least one participant did not have the minimum cognitive prerequisites to accomplish it.
problem solving; peer interaction; anxiety; socio-cognitive conflict; performance
