What is Curiosity?
“The engine of academic achievement,” curiosity is a genuine desire for knowledge and the motivation to actively seek out new information. Curiosity drives learning and motivation, fosters empathy and aids critical thinking, decision making, and relationship skills, and is key to life satisfaction and health.
Curiosity is essential to children’s early development and well-being. Curious people learn better and faster and obtain better academic and work achievements throughout life. Curiosity can even enhance memory and brain development.
Curious people have improved social interactions and are better at expressing empathy. Curiosity is key to personal growth, critical thinking, effective decision-making, and happiness, including social and intimate life.
Curiosity drives societies’ scientific and economic development. A world without a thirst for knowledge would be a world without progress and hope.
Learning new things activate the parts in the brain associated with the anticipation of reward, suggesting that intrinsic motivation drives curiosity.
Did You Know? Children are born naturally curious and need positive and supportive social interactions and opportunities to cultivate their curiosity.
“Curiosity is an essential part of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).”
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