Perry Zurn & Dani Bassett || How Curiosity Connects Us

Podcast Summary

• Transformative experiences in cleaning, fashion, supplements, and education: Clorox Scentiva revitalizes cleaning with coconut scent and powerful abilities, JCPenney offers inclusive clothing options, Symbiotica delivers effective and tasty supplements, and curiosity-driven research enhances education

  Clorox Scentiva offers a fresh and energizing cleaning experience with its coconut scent and powerful cleaning abilities. Meanwhile, JCPenney empowers individuals to find stylish and comfortable clothing that fits well, regardless of body type or size. Symbiotica provides all-natural supplements that truly work and taste good. Lastly, curiosity is a powerful drive to connect and build knowledge, and Perry Zearn and Danny Bassett's research on neuroscience and curiosity can improve education through their network model. Overall, these brands and concepts offer transformative experiences in their respective domains.

• The Power of Connection in Curiosity: Curiosity goes beyond acquiring knowledge, it's about making connections between ideas, people, and experiences.

  Curiosity is not just about acquiring knowledge, but also about making connections. Danny and Perry, a neuroscientist and philosopher duo, explored this idea in their research. They got interested in the topic during their graduate studies, with Danny focusing on cognitive flexibility and brain function, and Perry delving into the philosophical aspects of curiosity. They discovered their shared interests later in life, when they were postdocs. Their book, "The Curious Brain: How Curiosity Transforms the Brain, Lives, and Societies," delves into the power of connection in the context of curiosity. While curiosity is often thought of as a drive to acquire knowledge, the researchers found that it goes beyond that. It's about making connections between ideas, people, and experiences. This perspective on curiosity is not only intriguing but also important for understanding its true nature and its role in our lives.

• The importance of connection and meaning making in learning: Research shows that human connection is crucial for meaning making and learning. Building connective architectures through network science can help us understand and improve the learning process.

  Curiosity is not just about acquiring knowledge, but rather about connecting the dots and building a web of understanding. According to Roy Baumeister's research, meaning making is deeply connected to human connection. This means that learning and working in institutions of learning should focus on building meaning and connection together, rather than just passing on knowledge or having students gather disembodied ideas. The connective nature of ideas allows us to reason, make meaning, and share meaning with one another. However, understanding the patterns of connectivity can be a challenge. Each person may build different connective architectures, and this is especially true when teaching in a classroom. Network science can help us address this challenge by providing insights into the connective structures we create. In summary, the connectional model of curiosity emphasizes the importance of connection and meaning making in the learning process.

• Understanding Patterns of Connection in Networks: Network science studies patterns of connection in various fields, using concepts from network theory. It reveals how individuals build wide or dense knowledge networks through curiosity, represented by butterflies, hunters, and dancers.

  Network science is an interdisciplinary field that studies patterns of connection, typically in social networks. It allows us to quantitatively characterize these patterns and understand their similarities and differences. The concepts behind network science are not overly complicated, but it does have mathematical underpinnings. Network science is built on network theory, which was developed in sociology in the 1970s. Network science can be applied to various fields, including psychology and neuroscience, to understand connectivity patterns in the brain and between bits of information during learning. Perry mentioned three archetypes of curiosity: the butterfly (busybody), who has wide interests and builds wide knowledge networks; the hunter, who is focused on a specific topic and builds dense knowledge networks; and the dancer, who takes leaps of creative imagination and builds connections through learning. Understanding these archetypes can help us recognize different ways we and others build knowledge and connections through curiosity.

• Historical archetypes of curiosity and their modern counterparts: Three archetypes of curiosity - busybody, hunter, and architect - were identified based on historical philosophical accounts and confirmed through Wikipedia user browsing behavior. Modern psychology frameworks distinguish between deprivation curiosity and interest-based curiosity.

  The way people engage with information and exhibit curiosity is influenced by both individual differences and technological advancements. The researchers identified three archetypes of curiosity based on historical philosophical accounts: the busybody, the hunter, and the architect. These archetypes were experimentally affirmed through the analysis of Wikipedia user browsing behavior. The researchers also explored the possibility that technology, particularly the Internet and online encyclopedias, might be changing the way we think and exhibit curiosity. They collaborated with David Leiden Staley to study how individuals navigate Wikipedia, measuring the distance between the concepts they explore. The results showed significant individual variability, spanning the same archetypes identified historically. Regarding modern psychology frameworks, researchers distinguish between deprivation curiosity and interest-based curiosity. Deprivation curiosity is driven by a need to know, while interest-based curiosity is more correlated with positive well-being. Psychopaths tend to score high in deprivation curiosity. Another framework, Takahashi's 5 dimensions, includes joyous exploration, deprivation sensitivity, stress tolerance, social curiosity, and thrill seeking. The researchers have considered how these psychological frameworks fit into their model, recognizing the importance of exploring the intersection of historical, technological, and psychological perspectives on curiosity.

• Understanding Different Archetypes of Curiosity: Recognize and appreciate diverse forms of curiosity, including social hunters and social butterflies, to foster effective learning and connection. Social curiosity can manifest as thrill-seeking or joyous forms, driven by personal needs or deep satisfaction in learning about others.

  The study of individual differences in curiosity reveals various archetypes, such as social hunters and social butterflies, and these patterns can be mapped onto different dimensions of curiosity, including deprivation sensitivity and social curiosity. Social curiosity, in particular, can manifest as thrill-seeking or joyous forms, with the former driven by a desire to meet personal needs and the latter driven by a deep satisfaction in learning about others. The study also highlights the importance of recognizing and appreciating the diverse forms of curiosity to encourage and facilitate it effectively in ourselves and others. Additionally, the idea of starting conversations with deep, thought-provoking questions was suggested as a potential way to foster greater social connection and information exchange. However, it's important to consider the boundaries of curiosity and what might be appropriate or inappropriate in different contexts.

• Understanding Different Forms of Curiosity: Be aware of the different stages of curiosity and respect boundaries while practicing it to build connections and promote social change.

  Curiosity comes in different forms and it's important to be aware of the boundaries and power dynamics involved in each. The butterfly, hunter, and dancer represent various stages of curiosity, from gathering information as a busybody, to focusing and contributing as a hunter, to making creative leaps and connecting ideas as a dancer. However, it's crucial to remember that these roles are not mutually exclusive and can shift throughout our lives and even within a single day. Additionally, the way we practice curiosity can have implications for interpersonal connections and social and political change. For instance, the early years of anthropology involved scholars taking knowledge from other cultures without regard for boundaries, which is a colonial and exploitative approach. Therefore, it's essential to reflect on the power structures that inform our curiosity practices and strive for those that build connections and respect boundaries.

• Understanding Different Curiosity Styles: Three curiosity styles - hunter, busy body, and dancer - can help us make the most of our time and energy. Build connections between ideas and people to foster curiosity and navigate information overload.

  Our curiosity styles can change throughout the day, and understanding these styles can help us make the most of our time and energy. Perry mentioned three styles: hunter, busy body, and dancer. Hunters are focused and persistent, busy bodies are exploratory and multitasking, and dancers are adaptable and spontaneous. Perry also shared that his curiosity style varies throughout the day, with a hunter-like focus in the morning and a dancer-like style in the evening. This idea of different curiosity styles throughout the day is similar to how we change our clothing to fit different situations. Furthermore, Perry discussed the importance of building connections in our curiosity, which can be challenging in our current age of information overload. Social media and technology can provide us with a wealth of information, but they may not allow enough time and quiet for us to make meaningful connections between ideas or build relationships with people. To truly foster curiosity and make connections, Perry suggests taking a step back from technology and giving ourselves time and space to reflect and notice the connections between different pieces of information. Overall, understanding our curiosity styles and the importance of building connections can help us make the most of our time and energy, and navigate the challenges of information overload in our modern world.

• Adapting to new media and practicing conscious curiosity: Recognize the pervasive nature of technology, practice conscious curiosity, and support students in expressing curiosity in various forms to create an engaging learning environment.

  While social media and other technological advancements may bring about new fears and concerns, history shows that we have been able to adapt and find meaningful ways to engage with various forms of media. However, what is troubling is the pervasive nature of technology in our lives, which can fill every moment and hinder our ability to learn and create. To combat this, it's essential to practice conscious curiosity and be aware of both our conscious and unconscious practices. Educators can also benefit from this by recognizing that curiosity takes various forms and may not always be easily recognizable. By being sensitive to different expressions of curiosity, educators can better support their students and create an engaging learning environment.

• Exploring curiosity in the classroom: Encouraging unique curiosity expressions and mapping concept connections can lead to empowering and engaging learning experiences for students of all ages and abilities.

  Fostering curiosity in the classroom goes beyond traditional methods and can be achieved through various means, such as mapping concepts and encouraging unique submissions. A study conducted by Dan showed that students' understanding of connections between concepts becomes clearer as the class progresses. Moreover, allowing students to express their curiosity in unique ways can lead to empowering and engaging learning experiences. Dan has also applied these methods to younger students and found it to be empowering and intriguing for them. In a diverse classroom setting, this approach can help open up new possibilities for students with different learning styles and abilities. Dan also emphasized the importance of recognizing and accommodating various forms of curiosity, as described by Naoki Higashida, who has autism and describes his curiosity as reaching for stars or fish in a river.

• Validating and facilitating unique ways of learning for neurodivergent students: Effective teaching requires understanding neurodiversity, validating unique learning styles, and fostering curiosity to create an inclusive classroom environment.

  Effective teaching and understanding neurodiversity requires validating and facilitating each student's unique way of learning. Curiosity, as experienced by neurodivergent individuals, should guide how we enter the classroom and approach instruction. Neurodiversity is a mutual area of interest, and the conversation around it is ongoing. For now, keep up the great work, and thank you for sharing your insights on this topic. Listeners are encouraged to join the discussion at thepsychologypodcast.com or on YouTube. Additionally, mental health support is essential for everyone, and online therapy platforms like BetterHelp offer flexible and affordable options. Retirement savings are crucial, especially for women, and Gainbridge's Parity Flex Annuity provides a guaranteed lifetime income benefit. On Mind the Business, Small Business Success Stories, Janice Torres and Austin Henkowitz interview small business owners about their experiences and the tools they use to succeed. Listen on the Iheartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.