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Breaking down (and moving beyond) novelty as a trigger of curiosity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2024

Emily G. Liquin Open the ORCID record for Emily G. Liquin [Opens in a new window]  and
Tania Lombrozo Open the ORCID record for Tania Lombrozo [Opens in a new window]
Emily G. Liquin*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA emilyliquin@gmail.com https://emilyliquin.com
Tania Lombrozo
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA lombrozo@princeton.edu https://psych.princeton.edu/people/tania-lombrozo
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

The Novelty Seeking Model (NSM) places “novelty” at center stage in characterizing the mechanisms behind curiosity. We argue that the NSM's conception of novelty is too broad, obscuring distinct constructs. More critically, the NSM underemphasizes triggers of curiosity that better unify these constructs and that have received stronger empirical support: those that signal the potential for useful learning.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 47 , 2024 , e106
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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