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Super cool! :) So question, what sort of overlap do you see between trait curiosity and state curiosity, and if trait curiosity doesn't get you those things, i

Super cool! :) So question, what sort of overlap do you see between trait curiosity and state curiosity, and if trait curiosity doesn't get you those things, is the implication that state curiosity does? Where does retrospection lie with regard to curiosity? I read the explanation on Wikipedia[1] and am honestly less clear, as their example gives me the impression of trait curiosity. I like to dig into what I'm doing to really understand what makes it tick, I hate memorizing things and desire to know why things are the way they are, not just that they are, is that an example of state curiosity? To answer your question, I would say curiosity is all those things. If I understand these two types correctly and I was trying to define them as narrowly as possible, I'd say that state curiosity is a desire to understand patterns and their significance, whereas trait curiosity is the desire for more novel information and experiences. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity#State_and_trait_curiosity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curiosity#State_and_trait_curi...

checkyoursudo 5y ago
> overlap In fact, in many of our experiments, trait curiosity is a moderately good inverse predictor of state curiosity (negative correlation). In other words, if you rate yourself as a generally highly curious person, then we can slightly predict that you will not be curious about the task at hand. This slight anticorrelation is unusual! I think that some people like to see themselves as generally curious, but maybe not many people really are? Dunno for sure, though. > if trait curiosity doesn't get you those things, is the implication that state curiosity does? Yes. State curiosity, or rating high curiosity about the task at hand, gets better results in complex problem solving. There might be some sort of affinity effect. If you like complex problems, then you're more curious about complex problems, and therefore tend to do better at them. Maybe? Makes some sense. Causation is difficult to show. Are you curious because you are good at it and want to know if you're right? Are you good at it because your curiosity has led you practice and learn how to solve these problems? Still, the effect is consistently there. > Where does retrospection lie with regard to curiosity? Probably depends on what you mean. Curiosity can be both relatively fleeting and quite long lasting given differing circumstances, so I'm not sure I can say much without clarification. > is that an example of state curiosity? First, I'd say that wiki stub about state/trait is lacking. I can see why you'd be confused. I do not recall reading a great "here's what state/trait are", just more like reading 1000s of papers. The research on the personality trait of curiosity and the state of being task-oriented curious perhaps surprisingly do not overlap very much. Your example could be an example of either trait or state. If generally you like to know how things work, then that might indeed be an example of trait curiosity. When you want to know how this $widget right in front of you works, and you spend time taking it apart and reassembling it until you are satisfied, then that might be an example of state curiosity. And so you can be one without the other. You can want to know how things work, without really bothering to investigate. Or you can not want to know how everything works, but really want to know how this one $widget works. Or both. There's nothing that says you cannot be both. The anticorrelation is 1) weak, and 2) not necessarily causal.
- Aeolun 5y ago
  From what you are saying, I don’t see how trait curiosity is a thing. It implies people are curious when they say they are curious. As opposed to task curiosity which seems to be real curiosity in the sense that you actually need to act on it to be considered curious.
  - checkyoursudo 5y ago
    I think trait curiosity probably is a real-some-sort-of-mental-phenomenon, so I wouldn't go so far as to say it is not a thing. Please also understand that I am no expert on trait curiosity or personality in general. Still, I tend to lean towards thinking that most people really mean state curiosity when they think about an actual drive or desire to figure something out. But I am perhaps biased because I investigate state curiosity and leave trait curiosity to others.

checkyoursudo 5y ago

> overlap In fact, in many of our experiments, trait curiosity is a moderately good inverse predictor of state curiosity (negative correlation). In other words, if you rate yourself as a generally highly curious person, then we can slightly predict that you will not be curious about the task at hand. This slight anticorrelation is unusual! I think that some people like to see themselves as generally curious, but maybe not many people really are? Dunno for sure, though. > if trait curiosity doesn't get you those things, is the implication that state curiosity does? Yes. State curiosity, or rating high curiosity about the task at hand, gets better results in complex problem solving. There might be some sort of affinity effect. If you like complex problems, then you're more curious about complex problems, and therefore tend to do better at them. Maybe? Makes some sense. Causation is difficult to show. Are you curious because you are good at it and want to know if you're right? Are you good at it because your curiosity has led you practice and learn how to solve these problems? Still, the effect is consistently there. > Where does retrospection lie with regard to curiosity? Probably depends on what you mean. Curiosity can be both relatively fleeting and quite long lasting given differing circumstances, so I'm not sure I can say much without clarification. > is that an example of state curiosity? First, I'd say that wiki stub about state/trait is lacking. I can see why you'd be confused. I do not recall reading a great "here's what state/trait are", just more like reading 1000s of papers. The research on the personality trait of curiosity and the state of being task-oriented curious perhaps surprisingly do not overlap very much. Your example could be an example of either trait or state. If generally you like to know how things work, then that might indeed be an example of trait curiosity. When you want to know how this $widget right in front of you works, and you spend time taking it apart and reassembling it until you are satisfied, then that might be an example of state curiosity. And so you can be one without the other. You can want to know how things work, without really bothering to investigate. Or you can not want to know how everything works, but really want to know how this one $widget works. Or both. There's nothing that says you cannot be both. The anticorrelation is 1) weak, and 2) not necessarily causal.

Aeolun 5y ago
From what you are saying, I don’t see how trait curiosity is a thing. It implies people are curious when they say they are curious. As opposed to task curiosity which seems to be real curiosity in the sense that you actually need to act on it to be considered curious.
- checkyoursudo 5y ago
  I think trait curiosity probably is a real-some-sort-of-mental-phenomenon, so I wouldn't go so far as to say it is not a thing. Please also understand that I am no expert on trait curiosity or personality in general. Still, I tend to lean towards thinking that most people really mean state curiosity when they think about an actual drive or desire to figure something out. But I am perhaps biased because I investigate state curiosity and leave trait curiosity to others.