Curiously different: Interest-curiosity and deprivation-curiosity may have distinct benefits and drawbacks

Abstract

Background

Research suggests that curiosity is associated with many positive variables and that these may be benefits of curiosity, but researchers have scarcely considered (a) which types of curiosity these potential benefits pertain to and (b) the potential drawbacks of curiosity. The present study examined the relationships of interest- and deprivation-type curiosity with four potential benefits that previous research has linked to curiosity (higher happiness, problem-solving confidence, open-mindedness, and empathic listening skills) and two potential drawbacks (higher distractibility and indecisiveness).

Method

Adults from the United Kingdom (N = 393) of diverse ages and socio-economic backgrounds completed an online questionnaire measuring dispositional interest- and deprivation-type curiosity, happiness, problem-solving confidence, open-mindedness, empathic listening skills, distractibility, and indecisiveness.

Findings

As predicted, interest-curiosity was positively associated with all benefit variables, and surprisingly was negatively associated with both drawback variables. Deprivation-curiosity was positively associated with only one benefit variable (empathic listening) and one drawback variable (indecisiveness).

Conclusion

Findings suggest that different curiosity types do not necessarily share the same potential benefits and drawbacks, and that interest-curiosity may be associated with more benefits than deprivation-curiosity. Future research should investigate the type-specificity of other potential benefits of curiosity, as well as investigate more potential drawbacks of curiosity.