The Role of Curiosity in Active Information-Seeking and Interest Development

• In Event: 25.024 - Synergies in Studies of Motivation and Learning: An Interactive Workshop

Abstract

Curiosity and situational interest are powerful driving forces in learning and motivation that lead students to learn more effectively (e.g., Ainley, Hidi, & Berndorff, 2002; Gruber, Gelman, & Ranganath, 2014; Kang et al., 2009). In our chapter, we elucidated curiosity and situational interest by focusing on (1) conceptual definitions and characteristics, (2) antecedents, (3) cognitive and behavioral outcomes, and (4) strategies to foster them in school.

Although both curiosity and situational interest positively impact students’ learning, motivation, creativity, and well-being, there are some unique characteristics of curiosity that are distinguished from situational interest. Unlike situational interest, which is an overall positive affect triggered by diverse contextual features (Hidi & Renninger, 2006), curiosity is a short-lasting, aversive state that desires an acquisition of specific information evoked by an information gap (Loewenstein, 1994). While curiosity leads to a robust motivation to seek missing information, a cost-benefit analysis where individuals calculate the value of obtaining information and the necessary effort or emotional cost of resolving curiosity ultimately determines a decision to pursue the information-seeking. Once the successful resolution of curiosity is repeated, attained knowledge and value provide a foundation for the development of individual interest.

Our view on human curiosity can be compared with the perspectives of other authors in the handbook. In this presentation, we focus on delineating the role of curiosity in active information-seeking and interest development. While curiosity can influence information-seeking behaviors as Chapter 8 claims, motivation to acquire information driven by curiosity is affected by the expected availability of information using cost-benefit analysis. In relation to Chapter 11’s view on interest development and learning, we propose that curiosity as an effective initial step that can lead to the development of individual interest with its acquired knowledge and value after iterative cycles of curiosity resolution.

Identifying and elaborating on the unique nature of curiosity that are compatible with other related frameworks, such as active information-seeking and interest development, may shed light on the deeper understanding of the constructs of both curiosity and interest.

Authors

• Hyun Ji Lee, Hunter College, The City University of New York

• Dajung Diane Shin, Korea University

• Sung-il Kim, Korea University