Topic
Interest
About: Interest is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 53 publications have been published within this topic receiving 5448 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: In this paper, a new account of curiosity is proposed that interprets curiosity as a form of cognitively induced deprivation that arises from the perception of a gap in knowledge or understanding.
Abstract: Research on curiosity has undergone 2 waves of intense activity. The 1st, in the 1960s, focused mainly on curiosity's psychological underpinnings. The 2nd, in the 1970s and 1980s, was characterized by attempts to measure curiosity and assess its dimensionality. This article reviews these contributions with a concentration on the 1st wave. It is argued that theoretical accounts of curiosity proposed during the 1st period fell short in 2 areas: They did not offer an adequate explanation for why people voluntarily seek out curiosity, and they failed to delineate situational determinants of curiosity. Furthermore, these accounts did not draw attention to, and thus did not explain, certain salient characteristics of curiosity: its intensity, transience, association with impulsivity, and tendency to disappoint when satisfied. A new account of curiosity is offered that attempts to address these shortcomings. The new account interprets curiosity as a form of cognitively induced deprivation that arises from the perception of a gap in knowledge or understanding. Curiosity is the most superficial of all the affections; it changes its object perpetually; it has an appetite which is very sharp, but very easily satisfied; and it has always an appearance of giddiness, rest
2,428 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, it is argued that interest is central in determining how we select and persist in processing certain types of information in preference to others, and that the psychological and physiological processes associated with interesting information have unique aspects not present in processing information without such interest.
Abstract: It is argued that interest is central in determining how we select and persist in processing certain types of information in preference to others. Evidence that shows that both individual and text-based interest have a profound facilitative effect on cognitive functioning and learning is reviewed. Factors that contribute to text-based interest are discussed, and it is suggested that interest elicits spontaneous, rather than conscious, selective allocation of attention. It is further proposed that the psychological and physiological processes associated with interesting information have unique aspects not present in processing information without such interest. Current advances in neuro-cognitive research show promise that we will gain further knowledge of the impact of interest on cognitive functioning and that we will finally be in a position to integrate the physiological and psychological aspects of interest.
1,398 citations
TL;DR: A review of the emerging body of work on the psychology of interest, with an emphasis on what contemporary emotion research has learned about the subject, can be found in this article, where the authors consider four central questions: Is interest like other emotions? What functions does interest serve? What makes something interesting? Is interest merely another label for happiness?
Abstract: Despite their interest in why people do what they do, psychologists typically overlook interest itself as a facet of human motivation and emotion. In recent years, however, researchers from diverse areas of psychology have turned their attention to the role of interest in learning, motivation, and development. This article reviews the emerging body of work on the psychology of interest, with an emphasis on what contemporary emotion research has learned about the subject. After considering four central questions—Is interest like other emotions? What functions does interest serve? What makes something interesting? Is interest merely another label for happiness?—the article considers unanswered questions and fruitful applications. Given interest's central role in cultivating knowledge and expertise, psychologists should apply research on interest to practical problems of learning, education, and motivation.
822 citations
TL;DR: It is proposed that, rather than worry about defining curiosity, it is more helpful to consider the motivations for information-seeking behavior and to study it in its ethological context.
820 citations
30 Jul 2009
TL;DR: In this paper, the nature of curiosity, where it fits in the larger scheme of positive emotions, the advantages of being curious in social relationships, links between curiosity and elements of well-being, and how it has been used in interventions to improve people's quality of life.
Abstract: Animbalance existsbetweentheroleofcuriosity asamotivational forceinnearlyallhumanendeavorsand thelack of scientific attentiongiventothe topic. Inrecent years, however, there has beena proliferation of concepts that capture the essence of curiosity-recognizing, seeking out, and showing a preference for the new. In this chapter, we combine this work to address the nature of curiosity, where it fits in the larger scheme of positive emotions, the advantages of being curious in social relationships, links between curiosity and elements of well-being, and how it has been used in interventions to improve people’s quality of life. Our emphasis is on methodologically sophisticated findings that show how curiosity operates in the laboratory and everyday life, and how, under certain conditions, curiosity can be a profound source of strengthoraliability.Peoplewhoareregularlycuriousandwillingtoembracethenovelty,uncertainty,and challenges that are inevitable as we navigate the shoals of everyday life are at an advantage in creating a fulfilling existence compared with their less curious peers. Our brief review is designed to bring further attention to this neglected, underappreciated, human universal.
335 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |