Curiosity might have killed the cat. But being curious seems to give older adults more life.
That’s one of the revelations from a sweeping new psychological study that clears up some of the questions surrounding one of our most fascinating traits: curiosity. The research – appearing in PLoS ONE – explores the evolving nature of curiosity across the human lifespan.
The research adds that an unexpected fracture between the two types of human curiosity. While general curiosity appears to decay as we age, older adults might become more curious in specific circumstances – especially when the topic taps into their existing knowledge base.
‘Curiosity is the beginning of all wisdom.’
Curiosity – a powerful driver of human behavior – falls into one of two camps.
- Trait curiosity refers to one’s general tendency to look for new knowledge and experiences over time.
- State curiosity is a momentary urge to learn something specific, such as tracking down the answer to a trivia question.
The study, which looked at more than 1,200 adults across multiple age brackets, found that older adults tend to score lower on standard questionnaires measuring trait curiosity. Even so, they typically show higher curiosity levels when they run into distinct, knowledge-based tasks.
The study’s authors chalked this up to a form of curiosity fueled by information gaps and one’s existing knowledge base.
“Our results show that age affects curiosity in different ways, depending on how you measure it,” the researchers wrote. “Older adults may be less broadly curious, but they show a greater interest in specific topics, especially those that build on what they already know.”
This split between trait and state curiosity underscores just how crucial it is to better understand curiosity as a complex psychological process, and not a simple character trait.
This paper hints that even while our overwhelming drive to explore and learn might taper off with age, we still remain highly engaged when we confront something that feels particularly meaningful.
‘Old age begins when curiosity ends.’
The findings also line up with what we know about aging, as illustrated by the Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) and the Selective Engagement Hypothesis (SEH). Each of these models suggest that, as we age, we tend to become more selective in how we “allocate” our cognitive resources. With a worldview that takes into account how much (or how little) time we have left, we tend to prioritize emotionally meaningful goals over open-ended, knowledge-for-its-own-sake exploration. As a result, we lean toward conserving our mental energy for info that connects with what we know and love.
This study backs that up. The researchers found that state curiosity followed a non-linear pattern across age groups. Middle-aged adults showed the lowest curiosity levels when it came to trivia. But curiosity levels ticked back up as they reached older adulthood.
The authors theorized that this curiosity dip in middle age could be tied to stress or lower overall well-being. They did, however, concede that future research could confirm (or debunk) that supposition.
‘Curiosity is life. Assumption is death.’
The researchers noted that they wanted to evaluate state curiosity with trivia questions because they tap into a wider knowledge base. Older adults, with a lifetime of experiences and accumulated data, could be best positioned to embrace curiosity in these situations.
However, the authors advise that curiosity could appear differently in other contexts. As a result, they suggest that future research should investigate a wider range of curiosity-triggering scenarios.
Ultimately, the study highlights the importance of acknowledging the various dimensions of curiosity as well as how they shift with age. Rather than seeing older adults as less curious than the rest of us, maybe it would be more appropriate to look at them as “selectively curious.” By fostering curiosity in domains that resonate with them, older adults could reap cognitive, emotional, and social benefits.
“For example,” the researchers noted, “an older adult curious about gardening may be more likely to pursue new skills or connect socially through that interest. That kind of targeted curiosity can have powerful effects on well-being.”
These findings could reshape how educators, healthcare providers, and community organizations engage older adults, highlighting the value of tapping into their specific interests to keep learning—and curiosity—alive well into later life.
Further Reading
Benefits and Risks of New Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease
Lack of Purpose in Old Age Could Hasten Dementia
Work It Boomers: Delaying Retirement May Slow Cognitive Decline
