Discomforting Curiosity

I have always delighted in the feeling of curiosity. I've written about the value of curiosity several times on this blog. I've described my sense of inquisitiveness about numerous things in my immediate environment, as well as in the wider world. The dictionary's definition of curiosity is “a strong desire to know or learn something.” The word's root is the Latin word curiosus, which means “careful.” I find it fascinating that our modern usage of the word curiosity stems from being careful. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds appropriate.

I live in the woods. I live a simple life that provides ample time for exploring the natural world around me. My scientific training predisposes me to seek explanations for things I observe in my world. Countless times I have paused to look at my environment and wondered what is really going on. How did nature arrive at the thing I'm seeing? What led to it? Why does this animal behave as it does? I find this behavior to be mysterious. How can I learn what causes it? The internet is an invaluable resource to answer many of these questions, but I also know that if I take the time to watch and be open, an understanding may come.

I have always greeted these questions with an enthusiastic feeling of interest and wonder. I wonder why that bird does that. I wonder about the meaning of life. I wonder what's going on around all those stars out there. I wonder about the cognitive differences between humans and other animals. So much wonder!

A recent scientific blog on National Public Radio by Tania Lombrozo addressed this issue of curiosity—asking, curiously, whether the feeling is a negative or a positive one. Some people, she writes, experience curiosity as a negative emotion, while others respond positively. I was very intrigued by her blog, because I've never felt negatively about curiosity.

She cited recent research that looked into why this contrasting response occurs. It turns out that those who feel positive about their curiosity tend look upon the situation with anticipation; they look forward to learning something new. Those who feel negative, however, often feel frustrated about the situation; they are unsatisfied about being in the dark.

Lombrozo points out that curiosity arises when we notice a gap in our knowledge. We want to close that gap. We want to know. So curiosity is all about learning... coming to know.

So why do some people feel negative about their curiosity, while others look forward to the pleasure of finding out why? The research shows that the main factor that divides the two camps is a function of the time it will take to satisfy one's curiosity. Those who don't like to wait will focus on their not knowing; they will focus on that gap, and they don't like it. Those who don't mind the wait focus on the anticipation of learning something new, and thus are more positive and eager.

It seems to me that a major factor dividing these two groups is that some people want to know, while others seek to learn. Those seeking to know are motivated by finding an answer and thus concluding the inquiry. They're mostly interested in answers. Those who want to learn, however, see the process of understanding as an open-ended, unfinished process. Once they close the gap and learn something, they eagerly greet the additional gaps that pop up, to continue on the endless learning curve. The inquiry for them is never concluded. There's always more to learn. I find that comforting. In contrast, some people—those who want definitive answers—seem to be uncomfortable with the gap.

Cultivating Curiosity—Part 2

We all possess some degree of curiosity. The key is to respond appropriately to those inquisitive feelings we get. Many people waddle through life half asleep—their minds dull and disinterested. When opportunities or novelties come along, they can be too preoccupied or dull witted to even notice them. So paying attention is crucial. As I wrote earlier, children—who have so much to learn—are naturally curious; evolution has built that into them. As we age, however, some of us lose that childlike sense of awe. We can become complacent and bored; we tell ourselves that there's nothing really new out there.

Unfortunately, modern society seeks thrills, more than learning. We seek quick, facile answers to life's quandaries; rather than taking the time to probe deeper. People are encouraged to grab hold of facts, rather than truly understanding things. As a wise person once said, “Facts are not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom.”

Are some of us more curious than others? Sure, but is it because our genetic makeup determines our level of curiosity, or can we cultivate it? I'm convinced that we can develop our curiosity, largely because it is an emotion, rather than an instinct. Instincts cause us to behave in unconscious and fixed patterns. Emotions, however, can be changed and developed. They are flexible and can be built upon.

I did some research, consulting various essays and books on psychology and philosophy, about ways to cultivate one's curiosity. I came up with a list of eight practices that can help to strengthen one's curious nature:

1. Ask questions. Admit your ignorance and your need to learn. Acknowledging your ignorance is the best way to dispel it.
2. Don't take things for granted. Remain skeptical about what you hear or read, and then check it out. Be open to surprise and the possibility of being wrong; it's a great way to learn.
3. Don't label anything as boring or not worthy of your effort to understand. To do so just closes doors to insight and understanding.
4. Don't judge things too quickly. Keep an open mind. Have the humility to admit that you are limited and that you have a need to pause and learn. This opens the door to change and growth.
5. Read a wide range of things. Challenge yourself with new and different and unfamiliar material. Let it open your mind.
6. Gradually increase the complexity of what you do. Don't settle for facile or easy answers.
7. Seek excellence in what you do. Don't settle for shoddy or inferior behavior.
8. Pay attention; concentrate on each task at hand. Be ready to notice and pick up on anything and everything that comes along. Be mindful.

That's a great list to cultivate one's curiosity. I believe that by acting upon some of these items, we can regain that natural sense of inquisitiveness that children have. We can feel more alive and excited. Yes, unlike the doomed curious cat, curiosity is healthy for us.

Cultivating Curiosity—Part 1

I believe that curiosity is one of the most valuable attributes that we can have. And I do not mean in the sense of the old saw, “Curiosity killed the cat.” That saying tends to give curiosity a bad name, which might cause some people to be a little leery about being inquisitive. I think, however, that this quotation has actually been used as a warning to keep one's nose out of other people's business, to avoid prying into others' private matters. No, I see curiosity as a healthy attribute. Here's why.

But first, what exactly is curiosity? The dictionary definition is: “a strong desire to know or learn something.” Interestingly, its root meaning is to be careful. Well, maybe if that cat had been a little more careful, its curiosity would not have brought about its demise. So I'll stick with this definition, which describes curiosity as one's desire to learn. Kids are naturally curious, because their main function in life is to learn. Many people who seek to expand their knowledge do so by responding to their curiosity... sort of like kids do.

Returning to children: they are naturally drawn to novelty. When something new comes into their lives and they are curious about it; they have an innate tendency to wonder about it. Many animals also exhibit curiosity when they encounter something new. If it doesn't appear to be dangerous, they will check it out.

In fact, evolution has favored curiosity. Animals who have a general instinct for curiosity do better—they are more fit and thus are more likely to survive—than those who are complacent. Yes, there are dangers in the world, and it pays to be cautious, but critters who are curious usually do fare better. Their curiosity drives them to explore new things and experiences.

For example, one of the most successful species of bird is the house sparrow. Its natural bent for curiosity has enabled it to expand into new territory and learn new habits. As a result, the house sparrow is a very adaptable creature; it has spread its territory to the point that it now inhabits most every corner of the globe.

And there is no more adaptable creature on the planet than Homo sapiens. Our curiosity—like the house sparrow—has led us to spread across the Earth, inhabiting just about every environment there is. Evolution built curiosity into us, by favoring those of our ancestors who were most curious; they were better at learning new skills. When the environment changed, those with better skills could better adapt. Those who were dull or disinterested were more likely to perish when hard times came, because they had become stuck in their ways.

So curiosity is an advantageous quality to have. Those who are curious have an urge to learn, to seek answers to puzzles. They want to know why, even when there may be no immediate practical advantage to knowing. When we respond to that mental itch to understand—due to “idle” curiosity—we often find that it leads us to creative insights we never even knew existed. Our lives become richer for it. People who feel they have a very satisfying or exciting career are often those who are naturally curious and whose job allows them to explore their interests.

More on curiosity next time...

Curious Cat

There's an old dictum that is periodically dragged out, in order to warn someone not to be so inquisitive or prying into others' matters: “Curiosity killed the cat.” Its origin is so old that most people are not aware of how it came to be. It's interesting advice, but I tend to think that it's often used inappropriately. What's wrong with curiosity? Sure, we might be going too far if we're meddling in other people's private affairs, but curiosity—defined as a strong desire to learn something—is an admirable trait, for the most part.

So where did this metaphor of warning about the potential problems of being curious originate? As usual, an internet search quickly guides me to Wikipedia—wherein I find that the expression goes back to Shakespeare and his 16^th century cohorts. (Doesn't everything in the English culture stem from him?) The word used by these authors, rather than curiosity, was “care,” which, at the time, meant that something like “worry” or “sorrow” killed the cat. But then, Shakespeare's metaphors are often a stretch for modern people to comprehend. In time, the saying evolved to having the cat get killed, not through worry, but by snooping.

I discovered a very different take on curiosity recently, that is more appealing to me. Researchers at the University of California, Davis conducted an experiment which showed that people learn better when their curiosity is stimulated. Now, this result may not be all that surprising in itself, since no student can learn effectively when bored stiff. When our curiosity is piqued, however, when we are interested in a subject, it's logical that we'll do a better job of understanding it.

No surprise there. What's interesting about the UC Davis study is that the researchers were able to show why people learn better when they're curious: it's because curiosity fires up the brain's dopamine reward circuitry. In other words, the brain responds to curiosity in a similar way that it does when we yearn for chocolate and other such pleasures.

Students' curiosity was stimulated in the experiment by posing certain intriguing questions, and then comparing their brains' reactions to when rather boring questions were posed. Their brains were simultaneously scanned, to show that when when they were curious, brain activity rose in those regions that transmit dopamine signals. When questioned again at a later time, students' memories were one-third better for those questions that lit up their brains' curiosity centers, than for the tedious questions.

The researchers concluded that they were best able to boost students' memories on those questions for which they had some previous knowledge, but were then purposefully presented with a gap in their understanding. Just like going for another piece of chocolate, the study's subjects were driven to find the answer. Their curiosity pushed them to find out.

I believe that good teachers innately understand this, when they stimulate interest in their students. It's less a question of entertaining them to try to capture their attention, than it is finding ways to engender a spirit of inquiry in them... helping them to see the deeper wonders of a subject. Purposefully leaving gaps in a presentation and then asking students what bit of knowledge could fill that gap can stimulate both curiosity and learning.

Now, I don't think that cats have the cognitive ability to be stimulated by unusual questions aimed at increasing their dopamine levels. But they do seem to be constantly poking their noses into places where they have no right to. On the other hand, if they get into deep trouble, they can rely on another old dictum; knowing they have eight more remaining lives if they lose this one.