Age differences in the conceptualization and experience of curiosity: A qualitative study

Abstract

Despite the recent resurgence in research on human curiosity and its influence on knowledge acquisition, there is little consensus on how to operationalize curiosity. Understanding lay beliefs on what curiosity is—and how it is experienced—is therefore an important avenue of study. Furthermore, given age-related shifts in emotional processing and goal-seeking, definitions and experiences of curiosity may fluctuate over the lifespan. Here, we used qualitative techniques to characterize perceptions of curiosity in younger and older adults. We found that while both younger and older adults described curiosity as a form of joyous exploration, younger participants more commonly highlighted the link between curiosity and feelings of deprivation, thrill-seeking, and centrality to being human. Older adults, however, more frequently referenced the social aspects of curiosity, and interestingly, approximately 50% of all participants’ responses were categorized as miscellaneous, suggesting that current multidimensional frameworks of curiosity may not completely align with lay conceptualizations. Older adults were also more likely than younger adults to describe curiosity as a positive trait, indicative of one’s sincerity. In contrast, younger adults more frequently described curiosity as a trait linked to novelty-seeking and personal growth, but that it should be expressed in moderation, likely because of its potentially harmful consequences (e.g., invading others’ privacy). Overall, we show that conceptualizations and experiences of curiosity vary between younger and older adults—an important empirical contribution given the trait’s ubiquity across the lifespan and its role in promoting opportunities for lifelong learning.