<p>I think a valuable lead for you may be the search term <em><strong><a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1095-1#:%7E:text=Novelty%20seeking%20" rel="nofollow noreferrer">novelty seeking</a></strong></em> (or, perhaps, the synonymous <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/science/novelty-seeking-neophilia-can-be-a-predictor-of-well-being.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">neophilia</a></em>) which is closely related to <em>curiosity</em> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886903002058" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Collins <em>et al</em>., 2004)</a>;. Although traditionally linked to impulsivity, disorderliness and risky behavior (drugs, injuries), it is recognized that novelty seeking and satisfying curiosity are closely related phenomena. The following search terms in Google Scholar yielded a stack of [seemingly] interesting papers: &quot;<strong><a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&amp;as_sdt=0%2C5&amp;authuser=1&amp;q=novelty%20seeking%20scientific%20curiosity&amp;btnG=" rel="nofollow noreferrer">scholarly + curiosity + novelty + seeking</a></strong>&quot;, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li>The nature and measurement of sensory curiosity <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886905001522" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Litmman et al., 2005)</a></li>
<li>Curiosity and interest: The benefits of thriving on novelty and challenge <a href="https://www.academia.edu/download/41083682/HOPPChapter_34_Curiosity_and_Interest.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Kashdan, 2009)</a></li>
<li>The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627315007679" rel="nofollow noreferrer">(Kidd &amp; Hayden)</a></li>
</ul>
<p><sub><strong>References</strong><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886903002058" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Collins <em>et al</em>., <em>Personality and Individual Differences</em> (2004); <strong>36</strong>(5):  1127-41</a><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.academia.edu/download/41083682/HOPPChapter_34_Curiosity_and_Interest.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kashdan <em>et al</em>., Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2009)</a><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627315007679" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kidd &amp; Hayden, <em>Neuron</em> (2015); <strong>88</strong>(3): 449-60</a><br />
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886905001522" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Litman <em>et al</em>., <em>Personality and Individual Differences</em> (2005); <strong>39</strong>(6): 1123-33</a></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-09T08:52:31.377Z
2022-09-09T10:10:41.533Z
2022-09-09T10:10:41.533Z
AliceD
<p>Accordingly to Maslow's pyramid, a good answer, in my opinion, in order to justify our behavior of &quot;exploration/curiosity&quot;, could be in terms of the &quot;physiological needs&quot; step.</p>
<p>But, I think there are a lot more occurring in human psychology, for instance: &quot;why a theoretical physicist works with subjects that don't have any sorts of immediate applications?&quot;. A fair answer would be: &quot;because they are curious&quot;. So, we are 'curious&quot; beings, we explore and embrace risks that are simply motivated by our curiosity.</p>
<p>I would like recommendations of literature and so on that discuss questions like &quot;why do we explore?&quot;, &quot;why we are attracted to the unknown?&quot; and so on. So could you give me some references?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-08T17:49:33.207Z
Looks like a duplicate of: [What causes a person to be curious, inquisitive and explorative?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/5324/7001)
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-08T18:02:32.933Z
I note that there's no well-referenced answer calling upon evolutionary psychology on the duplicate target.
Jiminy Cricket.
<reference-request><terminology><behavior>
What are the reasons for human curiosity?
M.N.Raia
# What are the reasons for human curiosity?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-09-08)

Accordingly to Maslow's pyramid, a good answer, in my opinion, in order to justify our behavior of "exploration/curiosity", could be in terms of the "physiological needs" step.

But, I think there are a lot more occurring in human psychology, for instance: "why a theoretical physicist works with subjects that don't have any sorts of immediate applications?". A fair answer would be: "because they are curious". So, we are 'curious" beings, we explore and embrace risks that are simply motivated by our curiosity.

I would like recommendations of literature and so on that discuss questions like "why do we explore?", "why we are attracted to the unknown?" and so on. So could you give me some references?

**Tags:** reference-request, terminology, behavior

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Looks like a duplicate of: [What causes a person to be curious, inquisitive and explorative?](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/q/5324/7001)  
> **username_2**: I note that there's no well-referenced answer calling upon evolutionary psychology on the duplicate target.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-09-09. Score: 1

I think a valuable lead for you may be the search term ***[novelty seeking](https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1095-1#:%7E:text=Novelty%20seeking%20)*** (or, perhaps, the synonymous *[neophilia](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/14/science/novelty-seeking-neophilia-can-be-a-predictor-of-well-being.html)*) which is closely related to *curiosity* [(Collins *et al*., 2004)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886903002058);. Although traditionally linked to impulsivity, disorderliness and risky behavior (drugs, injuries), it is recognized that novelty seeking and satisfying curiosity are closely related phenomena. The following search terms in Google Scholar yielded a stack of [seemingly] interesting papers: "**[scholarly + curiosity + novelty + seeking](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&authuser=1&q=novelty%20seeking%20scientific%20curiosity&btnG=)**", such as:

* The nature and measurement of sensory curiosity [(Litmman et al., 2005)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886905001522)
* Curiosity and interest: The benefits of thriving on novelty and challenge [(Kashdan, 2009)](https://www.academia.edu/download/41083682/HOPPChapter_34_Curiosity_and_Interest.pdf)
* The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity [(Kidd & Hayden)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627315007679)

**References**  
**-** [Collins *et al*., *Personality and Individual Differences* (2004); **36**(5): 1127-41](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886903002058)  
**-** [Kashdan *et al*., Oxford handbook of positive psychology (2009)](https://www.academia.edu/download/41083682/HOPPChapter_34_Curiosity_and_Interest.pdf)  
**-** [Kidd & Hayden, *Neuron* (2015); **88**(3): 449-60](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627315007679)  
**-** [Litman *et al*., *Personality and Individual Differences* (2005); **39**(6): 1123-33](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886905001522)


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