The Editors: Philipp Mayring, born in 1952, studied psychology and education at the universities of Munich and Augsburg (Germany), was professor for educational psychology at the University of Education in Ludwigsburg (Germany) and is currently professor for psychological methodology and director of the institute for psychology at the University of Klagenfurt (Austria).
Christoph von Rhoeneck, born in 1940, studied physics at the universities of Marburg and Munich (Germany), was assistent professor at the University of Münster and the Institute for Science Education (IPN), at the University of Kiel and is currently Professor for didactics of physics at the University of Education in Ludwigsburg (Germany).

Contents: Ph. Mayring: Introduction: Importance of affective factors for learning - T. Goetz/A. Zirngibl/R. Pekrun/N. Hall: Emotions, Learning and Achievement from an Educational-Psychological Perspective - G.H.E. Gendolla: Mood Effects and Effort Mobilization in Learning: Theory and Experimental Evidence - P. Häussler: Emotional aspects and the role of interest and self concept in learning physics - M. Laukenmann/C.v. Rhöneck: The Influence of Emotional Factors on Learning in Physics Instruction - S. Fuß: The Influence of Parental Behavior on Students' Motivation and Achievement: An Empirical Study in German Secondary School - M. Gläser-Zikuda/Ph. Mayring: A qualitative oriented approach to learning emotions at school - T. Hascher: Well-being in school - Why students need social support - D.R. Hancock: Influencing Students' Achievement in Eighth Grade German and U.S. Classrooms - W. Dee Nichols/J.P. Jones: Exploring the Relationship Between Eighth Graders' Emotional Development, Their Perception of Learning and Their Teachers' Instructional Strategies as it relates to Goal Orientation - M. Hänze: Productive functions of emotions in classroom learning - C.v. Rhöneck/H. Melenk: The influence of emotions on classroom learning and consequences for teaching.

Educational psychology and educational practice is dominated by behavioristic and cognitive approaches. This reader brings together new research results which underline the important role of emotion in learning. Anxiety, joy, pride, boredom of the learner influences the learning outcome. Research teams from Europe and the U.S.A. present their results.