See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: [Link]

net/publication/302346266

Epistemic Curiosity

Chapter · January 2012

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_1645

CITATIONS READS

10 8,077

1 author:

Jordan A. Litman
University of Maine at Machias (UMM), ME & Institute of Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC)
48 PUBLICATIONS 4,709 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Jordan A. Litman on 19 December 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Metadata of the chapter that will be visualized online

Chapter Title Epistemic Curiosity

Copyright Year 2011
Copyright Holder Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
Corresponding Author Family Name Litman
Particle
Given Name Jordan A.
Suffix
Division Psychology Department
Organization University of South Florida
Address 140 7th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33701-5016, USA
Email jlitman@[Link]
Comp. by: GDurga Stage: Galleys Chapter No.: 1645 Title Name: ESL
Page Number: 0 Date:18/3/11 Tim[Link]

1 E
curiosity may be conceptualized as an “integrated” motive 40
2 Epistemic Curiosity that involves both the intrinsic pleasure of learning as well 41

as extrinsically regulated concerns about the accuracy 42

3 JORDAN A. LITMAN or fit of newly gathered information (Litman 2008). In 43
4 Psychology Department, University of South Florida, academic settings, I-type epistemic curiosity is associated 44
5 Saint Petersburg, FL, USA with developing mastery-oriented learning goals, the 45

achievement of which leads to increased interest and 46

engagement (Litman 2008). D-type epistemic curiosity is 47

6 Synonyms also involved in mastery-oriented learning, but is more 48
7 Cognitive curiosity; Intellectual curiosity; Scientific strongly associated with setting performance-oriented 49
8 curiosity learning goals, for which the correctness and relevance of 50

newly acquired knowledge is critical to goal achievement. 51

9 Definition In the workplace, I-type epistemic curiosity is associated 52
10 Epistemic curiosity is the desire to obtain new knowledge with being motivated to develop new skills, whereas 53
11 (e.g., concepts, ideas, and facts) expected to stimulate D-type epistemic curiosity motivates identifying and 54
12 intellectual interest (I-type) or eliminate conditions of solving specific problems (Litman et al. 2010). 55
13 informational deprivation (D-type). I-type epistemic
14 curiosity appears to be maximally activated when individ- Theoretical Background 56
15 uals recognize opportunities to discover something The concept of epistemic curiosity as an emotional- 57
16 completely new, whereas D-type epistemic curiosity is motivational state was first explored by Berlyne (1954), 58
17 optimally stimulated when people lack specific pieces of who viewed this construct as a uniquely human desire to 59
18 information they wish to incorporate into an existing know aroused by novel questions or complex ideas that 60
19 knowledge-set. Once activated, the degree to which each pointed to gaps in one’s knowledge. According to Berlyne, 61
20 type of epistemic curiosity is experienced and behaviorally epistemic curiosity motivated exploration aimed at the 62
21 expressed has been found to vary according to individual acquisition of new knowledge through observation, 63
22 differences in I- and D-type epistemic curiosity thinking, and asking questions. He explicitly differentiated 64
23 personality traits (Litman 2008). between epistemic curiosity, which motivated the pursuit 65
24 I- and D-type epistemic curiosity each corresponds to of knowledge, and seeking stimulation from sensations 66
25 different orientations toward seeking new information. and perceptions, which he considered to be a common 67
26 I-type epistemic curiosity involves focusing on the motive of both animals and humans. 68
27 inherent enjoyment of new discoveries, and motivates Day (1971) later expanded on Berlyne’s work, and 69
28 broadly seeking new information in order to stimulate theorized that epistemic (as well as sensory-perceptual) 70
29 positive affect. D-type epistemic curiosity reflects an curiosity corresponded to states of situational interest 71
30 unsatisfied need-like state that motivates seeking influenced by individual differences in intrinsic motivation 72
31 knowledge capable of reducing undesirable states of as an aspect of personality. In keeping with Berlyne’s 73
32 uncertainty about specific unknowns. D-type epistemic theories of epistemic exploration, Day developed measures 74
33 curiosity appears to be a stronger motive for knowledge to assess dispositional tendencies to take pleasure in seeking 75
34 seeking than I-type epistemic curiosity, and is associated out specific forms of novel or complex stimulation. 76
35 with higher levels of state-curiosity and a greater degree Consistent with Berlyne, Loewenstein (1994) also 77
36 of subsequent information seeking behavior as compared hypothesized that epistemic curiosity was aroused by 78
Au1 37 to I-type epistemic curiosity (Litman et al. 2005). specific gaps in one’s knowledge. He proposed that the 79
38 I-type epistemic curiosity is a purely intrinsic motive degree to which epistemic curiosity was activated 80
39 to obtain new knowledge, whereas D-type epistemic depended directly upon an individual’s metacognitive 81

Norbert Seel (ed.), Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6,

# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011
Comp. by: GDurga Stage: Galleys Chapter No.: 1645 Title Name: ESL
Page Number: 0 Date:18/3/11 Tim[Link]

2 E Epistemic Curiosity

82 awareness of the extent to which he or she had relevant which comprises five-item I-type and D-type scales. 131

83 knowledge stored in memory. Loewenstein differed with Although each scale is found to be internally consistent, 132

84 Day’s view that epistemic curiosity involved pleasurable define different factors and have different correlates, this 133

85 states of intrinsic interest, and theorized that subjective line of research is relatively new, and further study is 134

86 experiences of epistemic curiosity reflected uncomfortable needed to elucidate the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors 135

87 states of informational deprivation. According to associated with dispositional tendencies to experience and 136

88 Loewenstein, seeking out new knowledge is motivated express I- and D-type epistemic curiosity. Accordingly, the 137
89 more by “the aversiveness of not possessing the informa- degree to which these measures of epistemic curiosity can 138

90 tion more than it is by the anticipation of pleasure from be meaningfully differentiated from related constructs 139

91 obtaining it” (1994, p. 92). such as Need for Cognition or Openness requires further 140

92 Litman and colleagues reconciled these different views investigation. 141

93 on the nature of epistemic curiosity by examining the

94 circumstances where epistemic curiosity is pure intrinsic Metacognition and the Arousal of Epistemic 142

95 motivation and involves feelings of interest (I-type), and Curiosity 143

96 when it is oriented toward the elimination of unpleasant The arousal of I-and D-type epistemic curiosity appears 144
97 conditions of informational deprivation (D-type), and to be associated with different metacognitive states 145

98 therefore also involves extrinsically regulated concerns (Litman et al. 2005). However, further research is needed 146

99 about the accuracy and relevance of newly gathered to elucidate why unpleasant feelings are associated with 147

100 information. Recently, Litman and colleagues developed epistemic curiosity when individuals believe they have 148

101 brief, reliable psychometric instruments for assessing some prior knowledge in memory; more research is also 149

102 individual differences in the experience and expression needed to clarify why state-curiosity is more intense under 150

103 of I- and D-type epistemic curiosity (Litman 2008; Litman these circumstances. Loewenstein (1994) suggested that 151

104 et al. 2010) that measure tendencies to enjoy learning curiosity may intensify when we feel closer to completing 152
105 something completely new (I-type epistemic curiosity a knowledge gap because of learning processes involved in 153

106 scale) as well as the frequency that one feels bothered by goal attainment; that is motivation tends to increase 154

107 a lack of information (D-type epistemic curiosity scale). in strength as we approach satisfaction of an appetite. 155

108 Using the I/D epistemic curiosity scales, Litman, Possibly, similar mechanisms underlie self-directed 156

109 Russon and Hutchins (2005) found that I-type epistemic knowledge attainment as well. Another possibility is 157

110 curiosity appears to be maximally aroused when individ- that the reward-value of new information depends in 158

111 uals metacognitively determine they have little or no prior part on its ability to be incorporated into existing 159

112 knowledge relevant to the information they seek, whereas knowledge-sets. These intriguing possibilities need to be 160
113 D-type epistemic curiosity is optimally aroused when explored in future research. 161

114 individuals feel they have some relevant information

115 already in memory. This suggests that the recognition of The Satiation of Epistemic Curiosity, 162

116 knowledge-gaps, as well as the nature and magnitude Learning, and Experiences of Reward 163

117 of the gap, determines whether epistemic curiosity is On the basis of observable behavior and the self-reported 164

118 experienced as feelings of pleasure (I-type) or displeasure intensity of associated curiosity states, D-type epistemic 165

119 (D-type), with the latter found to be a stronger motive to curiosity appears to be a stronger motive than I-type 166

120 seek out knowledge. epistemic curiosity for acquiring knowledge (Litman 167
et al. 2005). However, the underlying reward mechanism 168

121 Important Scientific Research and Open for either type of epistemic curiosity remains unknown. 169

122 Questions Recent research by Kang and colleagues (2009) found 170

123 Several important questions remain regarding the nature evidence of relationships between epistemic curiosity 171

124 of epistemic curiosity, both in terms of its measurement as and reward-anticipation-related brain regions, such as 172

125 personality trait and its arousal and satiation of epistemic the caudate nucleus and lateral prefrontal cortex. While 173

126 curiosity as an emotional-motivational state. this research is promising, it is still in its infancy, and 174

much more work needs to be done to clarify the underly- 175

127 The Measurement of Individual Differences ing mechanisms of reward associated with the satiation of 176

128 in Epistemic Curiosity as a Personality Trait epistemic curiosity. 177

129 Individual differences in epistemic curiosity are assessed

130 by Litman’s (2008) 10-item I/D Epistemic Curiosity Scale,
Comp. by: GDurga Stage: Galleys Chapter No.: 1645 Title Name: ESL
Page Number: 0 Date:18/3/11 Tim[Link]

Epistemic Curiosity E 3

178 Epistemic Curiosity and Learning over the ▶ Curiosity 201

179 Life Span ▶ Divergent Thinking and Learning 202

180 When seeking out new information, often individuals may ▶ Interpersonal Curiosity 203

181 make unexpected discoveries – that is, what they actually ▶ Metacognition and Learning 204

182 learn may differ greatly from what was initially expected ▶ Motivation and Learning 205

183 to be learned. In past research I-type epistemic curiosity ▶ Multifaceted Nature of Intrinsic Motivation 206

184 has been found to primarily involve broad exploration ▶ Self-directed Learning and Learner Autonomy 207

185 of wholly new ideas, whereas D-type curiosity appears ▶ Understanding Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation 208
186 to be more concerned with the selection of specific pieces
187 of information that will be incorporated into an existing References 209

188 knowledge-framework. Given these different knowledge- Berlyne, D. E. (1954). A theory of human curiosity. British Journal of 210

189 seeking goals, we might also expect that I-type epistemic Psychology, 45, 180–191. 211
Day, H. (1971). The measurement of specific curiosity. In H. Day, D. 212
190 curiosity would be associated with placing greater value
Berlyne, & D. Hunt (Eds.), Intrinsic motivation: A new direction in 213
191 on information that diverges from what one already education (pp. 99–112). Toronto: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. 214
192 knows or expects, whereas D-type curiosity would be Kang, M. J., Hsu, M., Krajbich, I. M., Loewenstein, G., McClure, S. M., 215
193 expected to be associated with placing more value on Wang, J. T., & Camerer, C. F. (2009). The wick in the candle of 216
194 information that converges with expectations. This is learning: Epistemic curiosity activates reward circuitry and enhances 217
memory. Psychological Science, 20, 963–973. 218
195 a potentially fruitful area for new research on epistemic
Litman, J. A. (2008). Interest and deprivation dimensions of epistemic 219
196 curiosity that has not been previously explored. curiosity. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 1585–1595. 220
Litman, J. A., Crowson, H. M., & Kolinski, K. (2010). Validity of the 221
197 Cross-References interest- and deprivation-type epistemic curiosity distinction in 222

198 ▶ Achievement Motivation and Learning non-students. Personality and Individual Differences, 49, 531–536. 223
Loewenstein, G. (1994). The psychology of curiosity: A review and 224
199 ▶ Adaptation and Learning
reinterpretation. Psychological Bulletin, 116, 75–98. 225
200 ▶ Creativity, Problem Solving and Learning
Comp. by: GDurga Stage: Galleys Chapter No.: 1645 Title Name: ESL
Page Number: 0 Date:18/3/11 Tim[Link]

Author Query Form

Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning
Chapter No: 1645

___________________________________________________________________________
Query Refs. Details Required Author’s response
AU1 “Litman, Hutchins, & Russon, 2005” is cited in text
but not given in the reference list. Please provide
details in the list or delete the citation from the text.

View publication stats