The More Competent, the More Curious, and the More Interested: The Cyclical Interconnection of State-level Curiosity, Interest and Basic Psychological Needs

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 9:45 am
  In Poster Session: Social, Cultural, and Emotional Foundations of Student Learning and Motivation

Abstract

This study aimed to map the dynamics between curiosity and interest to address their conceptual ambiguity, exploring their direct and indirect interconnections through reciprocal interplay with basic psychological needs, based on Self-determination Theory. Using experienced sampling method, two sub-studies (twice a day (10-times, N=432) and once a week (15-times, N=864)) were conducted among undergraduates (Mean age= 19.78/19.71). Network analyses found consistent results: (1) despite robust interest-curiosity correlations, an asymmetrical temporal pattern was found that only curiosity robustly predicted later interest; (2) competence, instead of autonomy, enhanced curiosity and interest, while only interest reacted to boost competence. Findings extend the distinctions by identifying curiosity as the antecedent of interest, and integrate them into a cynical framework through competence (competence→curiosity→interest→competence).

Authors

• Haoyan Huang, University of Helsinki

• Yixin Zhang, Fujian Preschool Education College

• Xin Tang, Shanghai Jiao Tong University