A Thirst for Knowledge

Grounding Curiosity, Creativity, and Aesthetics in Memory and Reward Neural Systems

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21612065
AutoresYoed N Kenett (0000-0003-3872-7689, Technion - Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, autor correspondente), Stacey Humphries (0000-0001-9681-660X, Goldsmiths University of London), Anjan Chatterjee (0000-0002-9092-8560, University of Pennsylvania)
Ano2023
Volume35
Fascículo3
Páginas412-426
Data de publicação2023-07-03
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoCreativity Research Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1040-0419 • E-ISSN: 1532-6934
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10400419.2023.2165748
OpenAlexW4319790902
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas13
Referências citadas161

Curiosity, creativity, and aesthetics are typically studied separately. The extent to which they share psychological and neural mechanisms is not well understood, despite all being linked to broader personality characteristics like Openness to Experience and are driven by a desire for information and knowledge. Here, we review evidence and advance the hypothesis that creative and aesthetic experiences depend on curiosity as a driver of information-seeking and exploratory behavior because they are exemplars of situations that highlight gaps in knowledge or require problem finding and solving. At the psychological level, we link curiosity, creativity, and aesthetics to Openness to Experience and to ones’ semantic memory. We demonstrate how Openness is a critical personality trait in enhancing curious behaviors, as well as creative and aesthetic acts. Furthermore, we highlight the role of semantic memory in such information-seeking behavior, leading to knowledge acquisition. At the neural level, we examine the neurobiological underpinnings of these constructs in relation to the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system, as related to information-seeking. Finally, we link creativity and aesthetic experience and discuss how stages of art viewing and making relate to curiosity. Thus, we argue that information-seeking, the key behavior attributed to curiosity, motivates both creative and aesthetic activities

Big Five personality traits · Cognitive psychology · Cognitive science · Creativity · Curiosity · Openness to experience · Personality · Aesthetic Perception and Analysis · Creativity in Education and Neuroscience · Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies · Psychology · Social Psychology