1
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Golverdi M, Soleimani Naeini AH, Shaker Ardakani M, Sharifirad MS. What are the antecedents of nosiness among nurses? A qualitative study. J Health Organ Manag 2024; 38:760-777. [PMID: 39008093 DOI: 10.1108/jhom-10-2023-0306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Nosiness is an annoying behavior at the workplace that can lead to negative consequences. It is characterized by being overly curious about other people's affairs. Specifically, this study aims to identify the factors contributing to nosiness among nurses. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH We conducted an exploratory qualitative interview study involving 38 nurses in Iran. The participants were selected by purposive sampling. FINDINGS We identified nine themes as the antecedents of nosiness among nurses: defamation motive, the need for certainty, the need for power, recreational motive, empathy, social comparison, the allure of the subject for the individual, having an employee-friendly workplace, and work environment and workload. ORIGINALITY/VALUE Understanding the antecedents of nosiness can help healthcare organizations curtail this phenomenon and foster a positive work environment, particularly in nursing where empathy, compassion, and attention to detail make them susceptible to nosiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Golverdi
- Faculty of Management and Accounting, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Shaker Ardakani
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Public Administration, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sadegh Sharifirad
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Public Administration, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
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2
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Le Cunff AL. Systematic Curiosity as an Integrative Tool for Human Flourishing: A Conceptual Review and Framework. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2024:10.1007/s12124-024-09856-6. [PMID: 38977624 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-024-09856-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
This paper reviews seventy years of theoretical research and proposes systematic curiosity as an integrative tool for human flourishing with a focus on four key aspects: firstly, acknowledge curiosity's multidimensional nature instead of harmonizing its complex taxonomy; secondly, emphasizing intentional curiosity as opposed to impulsive curiosity; thirdly, prioritizing domain-general curiosity for broader applicability across educational, organizational, and therapeutic settings; and lastly, focusing on curiosity as a developable skill rather than an innate trait. By segmenting systematic curiosity into cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components, and relating these to interactions with the self, others, and the world, the framework aims to apply across the spectrum of human experience. Furthermore, the framework encourages an exploration of various evidence-based activities for flourishing so individuals can discover the most suitable strategies for their specific context. Implications for both theory and practice are examined, limitations are discussed, and avenues for future research are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Laure Le Cunff
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AB, UK.
- Ness Labs, 40 Downham Road, London, N1 5AL, UK.
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3
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Schwarz TA, Nikendei C, Cranz A, Friederich HC, Bugaj TJ. An untapped potential: Curiosity in medical school. MEDICAL TEACHER 2024; 46:939-947. [PMID: 38048416 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2023.2288546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There seems to be a common perception among medical educators that curiosity is untapped or even subjugated in medical education. This review aims to summarize research on curiosity across the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and education and report its potential to advance medical education. METHODS For this narrative review multiple online libraries were searched using variations of the terms curiosity and school/education/learning. Additional studies were reviewed using the reference lists of included studies, and all studies were assessed for quality and relevance. RESULTS This review of previous research on curiosity shows that curiosity can significantly impact characteristics relevant to medical education, particularly mental health and learning. In addition, the authors outline how curiosity is linked to other epistemic emotions such as anxiety, novelty, surprise, and uncertainty. Finally, an epistemic-emotion-framework (EEF) is proposed to help educators encourage curiosity in medical students. CONCLUSION By drawing from other research fields, medical educators can learn valuable lessons about the importance of curiosity and how to influence it. This review provides an overview of current research and a framework for how the potential of curiosity can be harnessed to play an important role in students' medical education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Alexander Schwarz
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Nikendei
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Cranz
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Christoph Friederich
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Till Johannes Bugaj
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Hilmerich C, Hofmann MJ, Briesemeister BB. Anxiety and curiosity in hierarchical models of neural emotion processing-A mini review. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1384020. [PMID: 38962147 PMCID: PMC11220156 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1384020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, two fundamentally different theoretical approaches have been used in emotion research to model (human) emotions: discrete emotion theories and dimensional approaches. More recent neurophysiological models like the hierarchical emotion theory suggest that both should be integrated. The aim of this review is to provide neurocognitive evidence for this perspective with a particular focus on experimental studies manipulating anxiety and/or curiosity. We searched for evidence that the neuronal correlates of discrete and dimensional emotional systems are tightly connected. Our review suggests that the ACC (anterior cingulate cortex) responds to both, anxiety, and curiosity. While amygdala activation has been primarily observed for anxiety, at least the NAcc (nucleus accumbens) responds to both, anxiety and curiosity. When these two areas closely collaborate, as indicated by strong connectivity, this may indicate emotion regulation, particularly when the situation is not predictable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Hilmerich
- Department of Psychology, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
- Department of Psychology, IU International University, Erfurt, Germany
| | - Markus J. Hofmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Benny B. Briesemeister
- Department of Psychology, IU International University, Erfurt, Germany
- Deloitte Neuroscience Institute, Deloitte Consulting GmbH, Berlin, Germany
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5
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Ryan ZJ, Dodd HF, FitzGibbon L. Uncertain world: How children's curiosity and intolerance of uncertainty relate to their behaviour and emotion under uncertainty. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2024:17470218241252651. [PMID: 38679795 DOI: 10.1177/17470218241252651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Curiosity and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) are both thought to drive information seeking but may have different affective profiles; curiosity is often associated with positive affective responses to uncertainty and improved learning outcomes, whereas IU is associated with negative affective responses and anxiety. Curiosity and IU have not previously been examined together in children but may both play an important role in understanding how children respond to uncertainty. Our research aimed to examine how individual differences in parent-reported curiosity and IU were associated with behavioural and emotional responses to uncertainty. Children aged 8 to 12 (n = 133) completed a game in which they were presented with an array of buttons on the screen that, when clicked, played neutral or aversive sounds. Children pressed buttons (information seeking) and rated their emotions and worry under conditions of high and low uncertainty. Facial expressions were also monitored for affective responses. Analyses revealed that children sought more information under high uncertainty than low uncertainty trials and that more curious children reported feeling happier. Contrary to expectations, IU and curiosity were not related to the number of buttons children pressed, nor to their self-reported emotion or worry. However, exploratory analyses suggest that children who are high in IU may engage in more information seeking that reflects checking or safety-seeking than those who are low in IU. In addition, our findings suggest that there may be age-related change in the effects of IU on worry, with IU more strongly related to worry in uncertain situations for older children than younger children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe J Ryan
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Helen F Dodd
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
- Children and Young People's Mental Health Research Collaboration, Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lily FitzGibbon
- Division of Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
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6
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Ivancovsky T, Baror S, Bar M. A shared novelty-seeking basis for creativity and curiosity: Response to the commentators. Behav Brain Sci 2024; 47:e119. [PMID: 38770845 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x24000293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
In our target article, we proposed that curiosity and creativity are both manifestations of the same novelty-seeking process. We received 29 commentaries from diverse disciplines that add insights to our initial proposal. These commentaries ultimately expanded and supplemented our model. Here we draw attention to five central practical and theoretical issues that were raised by the commentators: (1) The complex construct of novelty and associated concepts; (2) the underlying subsystems and possible mechanisms; (3) the different pathways and subtypes of curiosity and creativity; (4) creativity and curiosity "in the wild"; (5) the possible link(s) between creativity and curiosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Ivancovsky
- Bar Ilan University Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Facultat de Psicologia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Shira Baror
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Moshe Bar
- Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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7
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Singh A, Murayama K. Creativity is motivated by novelty. Curiosity is triggered by uncertainty. Behav Brain Sci 2024; 47:e115. [PMID: 38770851 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23003291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Although creativity and curiosity can be similarly construed as knowledge-building processes, their underlying motivation is fundamentally different. Specifically, curiosity drives organisms to seek information that reduces uncertainty so that they can make a better prediction about the world. On the contrary, creative processes aim to connect distant pieces of information, maximizing novelty and utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Singh
- Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Kou Murayama
- Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ://motivationsciencelab.com
- Research Institute, Kochi University of Technology, Kami City, Kochi, Japan
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8
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Hsiung A, Poh JH, Huettel SA, Adcock RA. Curiosity evolves as information unfolds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301974120. [PMID: 37844235 PMCID: PMC10614840 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301974120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
When people feel curious, they often seek information to resolve their curiosity. Reaching resolution, however, does not always occur in a single step but instead may follow the accumulation of information over time. Here, we investigated changes in curiosity over a dynamic information-gathering process and how these changes related to affective and cognitive states as well as behavior. Human participants performed an Evolving Line Drawing Task, during which they reported guesses about the drawings' identities and made choices about whether to keep watching. In Study 1, the timing of choices was predetermined and externally imposed, while in Study 2, participants had agency in the timing of guesses and choices. Using this dynamic paradigm, we found that even within a single information-gathering episode, curiosity evolved in concert with other emotional states and with confidence. In both studies, we showed that the relationship between curiosity and confidence depended on stimulus entropy (unique guesses across participants) and on guess accuracy. We demonstrated that curiosity is multifaceted and can be experienced as either positive or negative depending on the state of information gathering. Critically, even when given the choice to alleviate uncertainty immediately (i.e., view a spoiler), higher curiosity promoted continuing to engage in the information-gathering process. Collectively, we show that curiosity changes over information accumulation to drive engagement with external stimuli, rather than to shortcut the path to resolution, highlighting the value inherent in the process of discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Hsiung
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jia-Hou Poh
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Scott A. Huettel
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - R. Alison Adcock
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
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9
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Matthews JR, Cooper PS, Bode S, Chong TTJ. The availability of non-instrumental information increases risky decision-making. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:1975-1987. [PMID: 37038030 PMCID: PMC10716073 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02279-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary models of decision-making under risk focus on estimating the final value of each alternative course of action. According to such frameworks, information that has no capacity to alter a future payoff (i.e., is "non-instrumental") should have little effect on one's preference for risk. Importantly, however, recent work has shown that information, despite being non-instrumental, may nevertheless exert a striking influence on behavior. Here, we tested whether the opportunity to passively observe the sequence of events following a decision could modulate risky behavior, even if that information could not possibly influence the final result. Across three experiments, 71 individuals chose to accept or reject gambles on a five-window slot machine. If a gamble was accepted, each window was sequentially revealed prior to the outcome being declared. Critically, we informed participants about which windows would subsequently provide veridical information about the gamble outcome, should that gamble be accepted. Our analyses revealed three key findings. First, the opportunity to observe the consequences of one's choice significantly increased the likelihood of gambling, despite that information being entirely non-instrumental. Second, this effect generalized across different stakes. Finally, choices were driven predominantly by the likelihood that information could result in an earlier resolution of uncertainty. These findings demonstrate the importance of anticipatory information to decision-making under risk. More broadly, we provide strong evidence for the utility of non-instrumental information, by demonstrating its capacity to modulate primary economic decisions that should be driven by more motivationally salient variables associated with risk and reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian R Matthews
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
- RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wakō-shi, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Patrick S Cooper
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia.
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10
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Yagi A, FitzGibbon L, Murayama K, Shinomori K, Sakaki M. Uncertainty drives exploration of negative information across younger and older adults. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:809-826. [PMID: 37100958 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01082-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Although individuals generally avoid negative information, recent research documents that they voluntarily explore negative information to resolve uncertainty. However, it remains unclear (a) whether uncertainty facilitates exploration similarly when exploration is expected to lead to negative, neutral, or positive information, and (b) whether older adults seek negative information to reduce uncertainty like younger adults do. This study addresses the two issues across four experimental studies (N = 407). The results indicate that individuals are more likely to expose themselves to negative information when uncertainty is high. In contrast, when information was expected to be neutral or positive, the uncertainty surrounding it did not significantly alter individuals' exploration behavior. Furthermore, we found that uncertainty increased the exploration of negative information in both older and younger adults. In addition, both younger and older adults chose to explore negative information to reduce uncertainty, even when there were positive or neutral alternatives. In contrast to the age-related similarities in these behavioral measures, older adults demonstrated reduced scores in questionnaires on sensation seeking and curiosity, relative to their counterparts who were younger. These results suggest that information uncertainty has a selective facilitation effect on exploration for negative information and that normal aging does not alter this tendency, despite age-related reductions in self-reported measures of personality traits relevant to information seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayano Yagi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Lily FitzGibbon
- Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Kou Murayama
- Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Research Institute, Kochi University of Technology, Kami, Kochi, Japan
| | - Keizo Shinomori
- Research Institute, Kochi University of Technology, Kami, Kochi, Japan
- School of Informatics, Kochi University of Technology, Kami, Kochi, Japan
| | - Michiko Sakaki
- Hector Research Institute of Education Sciences and Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Research Institute, Kochi University of Technology, Kami, Kochi, Japan.
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11
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Brooks G, Whitehead H, Kӧhler S. When familiarity not novelty motivates information-seeking behaviour. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5201. [PMID: 36997556 PMCID: PMC10063652 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31953-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Research has established that novelty motivates information-seeking behaviour in many situations. While novelty preferences have been well-studied, an understanding of conditions under which familiarity trumps novelty remains limited. Recent work has revealed that when a metacognitive experience indicates that unsuccessfully recalled information may still be available, a subsequent tendency to seek out unrecalled familiar information can emerge. We conducted three experiments to identify critical factors that determine when familiarity preferences can be observed. Experiment 1 demonstrated the critical role of a recent unsuccessful recall attempt in inducing such a preference. Experiment 2 revealed that the impact of recall attempts is not limited to situations that follow unsuccessful recall, as a familiarity preference was observed even when information was successfully generated. Experiment 3 showed that the level of confidence in the accuracy of any recalled information is a key factor, with moderate levels of confidence leading to the strongest subsequent familiarity preference. Together, our results suggest that novelty preferences in information-seeking are not ubiquitous, as specific situational demands including recent attempted memory retrieval, as well as metacognitive retrieval experiences, can induce familiarity preferences. Our findings can be interpreted within theoretical frameworks that emphasize the role of knowledge gaps as driving factors of information-seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Brooks
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Western University, London, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Hannah Whitehead
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, N6A 3K7, Canada
- Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1V6, Canada
| | - Stefan Kӧhler
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, N6A 3K7, Canada.
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12
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Hilchey MD, Soman D. Demand for information about potential wins and losses: Does it matter if information matters? JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Hilchey
- Rotman School of Management University of Toronto 105 St George St Toronto Ontario M5S 3E6 Canada
| | - Dilip Soman
- Rotman School of Management University of Toronto 105 St George St Toronto Ontario M5S 3E6 Canada
- Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science and Economics, Rotman School of Management University of Toronto 105 St George St Toronto Ontario M5S 3E6 Canada
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13
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Romero Verdugo P, van Lieshout LLF, de Lange FP, Cools R. Choice Boosts Curiosity. Psychol Sci 2023; 34:99-110. [PMID: 36287129 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221082637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In our connected era, we spend significant time and effort satisfying our curiosity. Often, we choose which information we seek, but sometimes the selection is made for us. We hypothesized that humans exhibit enhanced curiosity in the context of choice. We designed a task in which healthy participants saw two lotteries on each trial. On some trials, participants chose which lottery to play. On other trials, the lottery was selected for them. Participants then indicated their curiosity about the outcome of the to-be-played lottery via self-report ratings (Experiment 1, N = 34) or willingness-to-wait decisions (Experiment 2, N = 34). We found that participants exhibited higher curiosity ratings and greater willingness to wait for the outcome of lotteries they had chosen than for lotteries that had been selected for them (controlling for initial preference). This demonstrates that choice boosts curiosity, which may have implications for boosting learning, memory, and motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Romero Verdugo
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University.,Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre
| | - Lieke L F van Lieshout
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University.,Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre
| | - Floris P de Lange
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University
| | - Roshan Cools
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University.,Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre
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14
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Cogliati Dezza I, Maher C, Sharot T. People adaptively use information to improve their internal states and external outcomes. Cognition 2022; 228:105224. [PMID: 35850045 PMCID: PMC10510028 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2022.105224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Information can strongly impact people's affect, their level of uncertainty and their decisions. It is assumed that people seek information with the goal of improving all three. But are they successful at achieving this goal? Answering this question is important for assessing the impact of self-driven information consumption on people's well-being. Here, over five experiments (total N = 727) we show that participants accurately predict the impact of information on their internal states (e.g., affect and cognition) and external outcomes (e.g., material rewards), and use these predictions to guide information-seeking choices. A model incorporating participants' subjective expectations regarding the impact of information on their affective, cognitive, and material outcomes accounted for information-seeking choices better than a model that included only objective proxies of those measures. This model also accounted for individual differences in information-seeking choices. By balancing considerations of the impact of information on affective, cognitive and material outcomes when seeking knowledge, participants became happier, more certain and made better decisions when they sought information relative to when they did not, suggesting that the actual consequences of receiving information aligned with their subjective expectations.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Cogliati Dezza
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, BE, Belgium; The Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, 10-12 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5EH, UK.
| | - C Maher
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK; The Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, 10-12 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5EH, UK
| | - T Sharot
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP, UK; The Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, 10-12 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5EH, UK; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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15
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Zhang Y, Zhou H, Qin J. Research on the effect of uncertain rewards on impulsive purchase intention of blind box products. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:946337. [PMID: 36046369 PMCID: PMC9421032 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.946337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 2019, China has gradually seen a “blind box” boom, and young people have quickly become the main buying force of blind boxes, promoting the continuous development of the blind box industry. Previous studies have shown that uncertainty in events with positive prospects can play a more positive role than certainty. However, how does uncertainty in the blind box affect consumers’ emotions and cognition and trigger subsequent consumption decisions? To clarify the internal mechanism of this process, this paper takes the blind box as the research object and constructs the mechanism model of perceived uncertainty on consumers’ impulsive purchase intention, based on Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory. In addition, the curiosity variable and perceived luck variable are introduced according to the information gap theory and optimism theory. On this basis, we conduct an empirical analysis by means of a questionnaire survey. The results show that perceived uncertainty has a positive impact on consumers’ impulsive purchase intentions, in which curiosity plays a mediating role. Besides, perceived luck positively moderates the impact of perceived uncertainty on impulsive purchase intention. This study clarifies the internal impact of perceived uncertainty on impulsive purchase intention of the blind box and enriches the basic theory of uncertainty reward and purchase intention. At the same time, we also offer related recommendations for future enterprises to learn from the marketing model of uncertain rewards.
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16
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Goh AXA, Bennett D, Bode S, Chong TTJ. Neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the subjective value of information. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1346. [PMID: 34903804 PMCID: PMC8669024 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02850-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have a striking desire to actively seek new information, even when it is devoid of any instrumental utility. However, the mechanisms that drive individuals' subjective preference for information remain unclear. Here, we used fMRI to examine the processing of subjective information value, by having participants decide how much effort they were willing to trade-off for non-instrumental information. We showed that choices were best described by a model that accounted for: (1) the variability in individuals' estimates of uncertainty, (2) their desire to reduce that uncertainty, and (3) their subjective preference for positively valenced information. Model-based analyses revealed the anterior cingulate as a key node that encodes the subjective value of information across multiple stages of decision-making - including when information was prospectively valued, and when the outcome was definitively delivered. These findings emphasise the multidimensionality of information value, and reveal the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying the variability in individuals' desire to physically pursue informative outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel X-A Goh
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Daniel Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Trevor T-J Chong
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, 3065, Australia.
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Curiosity or savouring? Information seeking is modulated by both uncertainty and valence. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257011. [PMID: 34559816 PMCID: PMC8462690 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Curiosity is pervasive in our everyday lives, but we know little about the factors that contribute to this drive. In the current study, we assessed whether curiosity about uncertain outcomes is modulated by the valence of the information, i.e. whether the information is good or bad news. Using a lottery task in which outcome uncertainty, expected value and outcome valence (gain versus loss) were manipulated independently, we found that curiosity is overall higher for gains compared with losses and that curiosity increased with increasing outcome uncertainty for both gains and losses. These effects of uncertainty and valence did not interact, indicating that the motivation to reduce uncertainty and the motivation to maximize positive information represent separate, independent drives.
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