States of Curiosity Modulate Learning in Childhood and Adolescence

• In Event: 3-225 - Psychology Meets Education: How Children Gain from Self-regulated Learning

Integrative Statement

Curiosity has a powerful effect on learning and drives many daily learning activities and interactions. Adults show higher memory performance for information associated with states of high curiosity as well as for incidental information presented during such states. The present study examined how states of curiosity contribute to learning among 10 to 14-year-old children. We were particularly interested in the degree to which children’s judgments of how rewarding or interesting information is modulates how curiosity drives learning.

Hypotheses
We expected children to demonstrate a memory advantage for high-curiosity information and for incidental information presented during high-curiosity states. We also expected that higher post-answer interest ratings will be associated with higher memory performance. Critically, we hypothesized that the effects of curiosity and interest on learning may be magnified in adolescence (13-14 years) relative to younger (10-12 years) children, reflecting adolescents’ increased sensitivity to extrinsic rewards and positive feedback.

Sample and methods
We tested 30 younger children (10-12 years) and 30 adolescents (13-14 years). In an initial screening phase, trivia questions were presented consecutively and participants rated 1) their confidence that they know the answer and 2) their level of curiosity about the answer on 4-point scales. The screening phase lasted until 30 trivia questions were allocated to a high-curiosity (rating 1-2) and a low-curiosity (rating 3-4) condition for each child. In the subsequent study phase, we presented a trivia question, followed by an anticipation period that preceded the presentation of the associated trivia answer. In the middle of the anticipation period, a neutral face (incidental item) was presented. After presentation of the corresponding answer, children rated their post-answer interest rating on a 4-point scale. Approximately 20 minutes after the study phase, we administered surprise recognition memory tests for the faces and for the trivia answers.

Results
Memory performance was higher when participants were curious about the answer to a trivia question in both younger and older children, F(1,58)=26.02, p<.001, with no differences between groups, F(1,58)=0.53, p=.47 (Figure 1A). States of curiosity did not influence memory for incidentally presented faces, with considerable variability across participants of both age groups. Learning was modulated by post-answer interest, F(1,58)=17.6, p<.001, and the effect was stronger in adolescents, F(1,58)=4.92, p=.03 (Figure 1B). We combined curiosity judgments, or expected value of information received, and post-answer interest judgments, or perceived value of information received in an information prediction error (IPE), reflecting the discrepancy between those judgments. Positive IPEs was associated with a 6.1% performance increase relative to no IPEs in adolescents, and with a 3.14% performance decrease in younger children, F(1,58)=4.92, p=.03. There were no age differences in memory associated with negative IPEs. Together, these results suggest that states of curiosity play an important role for children’s learning and that IPEs are an important factor for learning, especially for adolescents, who remember more information judged more valuable relative to their expectations.

Authors

• Yana Fandakova, Max Planck Institute for Human Development
  Presenting Author

• Matthias Gruber, Cardiff University
  Non-Presenting Author