Curiosity is the combination of intelligence, persistence and hunger for novelty, as described by British journalist and author Ian Leslie. It is this very combination of traits that brought about wonderful innovations from heated toilet seats to NASA. From the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Disney Pixar.
But sadly, curiosity withers away over time if not nurtured intentionally and consistently. More so, with our monotonous jobs, standardized tests, and emerging AI. It’s not uncommon to see our innate desire to seek knowledge gradually burn to ashes as we enter adulthood.
Withering curiosity: a symptom of adulthood
If you’re like me, you’ve probably found it more difficult to stay curious as you grow older.
But here’s a chance to redeem yourself. It’s time to ask why. Why do we lose the very trait that has the potential to create breakthroughs? Is it the result of rigid systems? Or do we just stiffen intellectually as we age?
The Curiosity Killing System
Curiosity turns into a privilege as we’re increasingly bogged down with work, responsibilities, and expectations. More so when we simmer in environments that frown upon divergent thinking.
Remember the teachers and bosses that ignore questions or show disapproval when an outside-the-box idea is used to complete a task? Yeah, me too. Over time, it’s no wonder we regurgitate spoon-fed formulas rather than come up with creative, divergent strategies.
The Curiosity Killing Self
As we get older, we also become more self-conscious and more tightly bound by our egos. This makes us less willing to acknowledge the limits of our own knowledge. Eventually, it manifests in resistance against anything that challenges our current assumptions.
Fortunately, curiosity is malleable and it can be rekindled. But only if you are willing to challenge yourself and the systems you’re in.
But first, let’s look at the science of curiosity
According to a large body of research, here are a couple of reasons why you’d want to keep your curiosity engines fired up:
1) You live longer (no kidding)
A study that followed aging individuals while tracking their curiosity levels found that those that showed high levels of curiosity were more likely to be alive five years later. Researchers even suggest the adaptive value of exploratory, problem-solving behavior is fundamental to kicking the bucket later.
2) Superhuman memory (well, almost)
There is strong evidence that curiosity helps you better remember new information.
Dr. Matthias Gruber from UC Davis suggests that curiosity helps the brain learn and retain any kind of information. Just like a vortex that sucks in what you are motivated to learn, and also everything around it.
3) More friends (yay!)
One study asked strangers to pose and answer personal questions, a process scientists call “reciprocal self-disclosure.” They found that people were rated as warmer and more attractive if they showed real curiosity in the exchange.
As we can see, curiosity is highly beneficial. However, it’s also extremely mystical. Since the 1950s, psychologists have offered competing theories about what makes one person more curious than another. To name a few:
1) Diversive/specific curiosity
Psychologist Daniel Berlyne argued that humans seek equilibrium between two deeply uncomfortable states: understimulation (when something isn’t challenging enough) and overstimulation (when something is too challenging).
- Diversive curiosity is used when a bored person seeks something to boost arousal.
- Specific curiosity is used when a hyperstimulated person seeks to reduce arousal to a manageable level.
2) The information gap
George Loewenstein of Carnegie Mellon University suggests that people become curious when they lack desired knowledge. This information gap creates an aversive feeling of uncertainty, compelling them to seek the missing information.
3) Intrinsic motivation
The University of Rochester’s Edward Deci argued that we use curiosity not just to avoid discomfort but to generate positive experiences. Hence, curiosity reflects our intrinsic motivation to seek out novelty and challenges, to extend and exercise one’s capacities, to explore, and to learn.
4) Sensation seeking
University of Delaware psychologist Marvin Zuckerman spent five decades studying curiosity in terms of sensation seeking. This theory explores one’s willingness to take risks to acquire novel and intense experiences.
5) Social curiosity
Psychologist Britta Renner of the University of Konstanz, initiated the study of social curiosity. She studied people’s interest in how others think, feel, and behave.
Despite their discrepancies, there is a common theme among these theories: it’s that curiosity serves as a powerful impetus to not just fill gaps in our knowledge, but also in our experiences.
So, how do we actually hone our curiosity?
1) Prime the body, prime the brain
The brain is considered a very expensive organ to run, consuming 20% of the energy needed to keep your body running. That’s why it’s a no-brainer that you get sufficient sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition to keep that inner curious child alive. Researchers Gary Swan and Dorit Carmelli even found a strong correlation between curiosity and strong physical and psychological health.
- Exercise: Physical activity as simple as walks spurs the development of new nerve cells and increases the connections between brain cells. This results in well-oiled brains that are more efficient and adaptive, which creates greater mental space for curiosity.
- Sleep: Sleep helps learning and memory in two distinct ways. First, a sleep-deprived person cannot focus attention optimally and therefore cannot learn efficiently. Second, sleep itself has a role in the consolidation of memory, which is essential for learning new information.
- Nutrition: Put simply, what you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your motivation to seek knowledge. Eating foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain, protecting it from oxidative stress produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage cells.
2) The more you know, the more you can know
Curiosity and creativity don’t happen in a void. Successful artists, innovators, and thought leaders collect intellectual treasures to master the rules beyond their expertise. Just like how Loewenstein’s information gap theory implies that more knowledge should lead to more curiosity.
Researchers Naomi Miyake and Donald Norman studied the importance of a knowledge base for honing curiosity. They found that expert programmers were more likely to ask questions at a research seminar on computer techniques compared to their novice counterparts.
Essentially, curiosity itself creates a positive feedback loop. The more you know about a topic, the more likely you are to have unanswered questions that drive curiosity.
3) Wander to wonder
Get up from your desk regularly. Visit a bookstore. Connect with nature.
Our era of Google searches and specialized algorithms has blessed us with answers we never knew we needed. However, this means we’re also faced with a serendipity deficit and a lack of awe-spiring moments. Therefore, wandering and exploring allow us to encounter other information in ways that aren’t dictated by the structure of the algorithm.
A study by Anderson and colleagues revealed a positive relationship between dispositional awe and curiosity levels. Those who experience awe more often are more likely to stay curious and learn at a faster pace.
So, get out from behind your devices and explore. As Economist John Maynard Keynes once said, to walk the grounds of the bookshops, dipping in as curiosity dictates, should be an afternoon’s entertainment.
4) Embrace and expand your “I don’t knows”
Say I don’t know more often. Ask plenty of questions, even the dumb ones. Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, beautifully described the ability to ask questions as “the greatest resource in learning the truth”.
Yet, people shy away from admitting that they don’t have the answer to everything. Likely due to the fear of appearing dumb. But little do we realize how much power these “I don’t knows” hold.
Only by acknowledging what we don’t know can we expand upon them. To sink deeper, go ahead and ask the what, why, when, who, where, and hows surrounding that single “I don’t know”. It is in this curiosity you generate at least 6 times more knowledge.
5) Choose your curiosity carrot wisely
How do you make curiosity easy, convenient, and rewarding?
TikTok and Wordle live rent-free in our procrastination windows because they’re an easy-to-reach supplier of our reward hormone, dopamine. While these quick fixes do pique curiosity in some sense, the value we get in return isn’t very long-lasting.
We want to nurture curiosity towards things that bring long-term value. To successfully do so is to make relevant information equally, if not more accessible and rewarding.
For instance, you may create a queue of your favorite podcasts or e-books on your iPhone. Set them on your home screen so they’re the first thing you see each time you unlock your phone.
And treat yourself to a nice cuppa after you’ve completed an episode or a chapter.
Each time you reward yourself for making progress, no matter how small, you activate the reward circuitry in your brain. That releases some key chemicals which make you experience feelings of achievement and pride. These emotions, in turn, empower you to keep that inner curiosity bright and burning.
6) Learn, unlearn, relearn
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
Those were the words of futurist and philosopher Alvin Toffler. And it got me thinking about how my perception of learning has changed throughout the years.
If your childhood was anything like mine, you were probably brought up in a “shut up and memorize” model of education. For a long time, learning was all about chugging information and spitting them out on blank paper. It was about being rewarded for never questioning the rules. Not fun, yet so ingrained into me.
But the world doesn’t function on predictable and replicable equations. Hence, I struggled a lot after leaving the traditional education system. Even more so when the rules of the 21st century are constantly changing.
I had to spend a lot of time unlearning old learning habits, old information, and old mental models. Just like how you would uninstall outdated software. I also had to get good at updating my skills, downloading new strategies, and adapting to healthier mindsets.
So, don’t be afraid to unlearn. To let go of old ways that no longer serve you.
That’s how you free up space to learn and grow. That’s how you thrive in our unpredictable and constantly evolving modern environment.
Closing thoughts
Curiosity isn’t a temporary state that swoops in and sparks inspiration. Rather, it’s a skill you can improve with intention and effort. And nurturing curiosity for meaningful things is what will give you enduring joy and a glow for life. If you haven’t heard, curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.
