The Role of Curiosity in the Sociopolitical Development of Black and Latinx Adolescents

• In Event: 25.053 - Critical Citizenship Education: Affirming Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice

Abstract

Sociopolitical development (SPD) refers to how individuals come to understand and take action against systems of oppression. Critical curiosity— an eagerness to learn more about issues of inequity— has been theorized to be a key catalyst for SPD yet this relationship is unproven. This study investigated the role of curiosity in adolescents’ SPD. Participating adolescents (n=458) completed surveys including validated measures of curiosity and SPD. Analyses included Latent Growth Modeling (LGMs) of curiosity growth and Multivariate LGMs examining SPD elements and the influence of high vs. low curiosity. Overall, curiosity demonstrated a positive growth trend; for all students, curiosity predicted growth in critical reflection, whereas high curiosity was associated with steeper growth in critical reflection and action.

Authors

• Shelby Clark, Harvard University

• Scott Clifford Seider, Boston University