Lived Experiences of Social Bonds in Science Classrooms

Abstract

I present new research in this chapter exploring students’ lived experiences of social bonds – social and emotional connections – in science classrooms. I extend existing research on emotional events to consider their impact on social bond status by focusing on student introspection, or third-order rituals. Drawing on reflective discussions conducted in two 10th grade science classes, my focus was to understand science students’ social bonding experiences and how they are shaped by emotional events. Key aspects of social bond status associated with emotional events are presented including vicarious emotional experiences, personal relationships versus social roles, and how teacher responses to questions may disrupt bonds. Implications for future research on social bonds, emotional events and science learning and teaching are presented.