In this study, the relationships among cognitive conflict, situational interest, and conceptual change in studying boiling point were investigated. The differences in the relationships by gender were also investigate. Students of 7th grade(N=370) participated in this study. First, a preconception test was administered to choose students who possessed the misconception studied. After presenting anomalous data, test of response to anomalous data and state interest test were administered. After the instruction with a CAI program, a conception test was administered immediately. The conception test was administered again as a retention test four weeks later. The scores of both cognitive conflicts and state interest test were found to be significantly correlated with the scores of the conception test and the retention test. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that state interest was significantly more important than cognitive conflict in prediction the degrees of conceptual change and retention of conception. For male students, state interest was the only significant predictor of conceptual change and retention of conception. In contrast, cognitive conflict was the only significant predictor for female students.