Peterson, E. G. (2020). Supporting curiosity in schools and classrooms. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 35, 7-13. Peterson 2020.pdf

Question 1

scaffolding=

Answer 1

wanneer een leraar een niveau aanbiedt wat steeds net boven het niveau van de leerling ligt

Question 1

wat bedoelen ze met ‘curiousity is malleable’

Answer 1

That is, under certain conditions, curiosity can be triggered in the moment (i.e. state curiosity), individuals can become more curious in general (i.e. trait curiosity), and curiosity about academic subjects can evolve (i.e. domain-specific curiosity).

Question 2

microlevel in BPS model

Answer 2

The micro level consists of the people (e.g. parents, teachers), objects (e.g. toys, books, activities), and physical spaces (e.g. home, classroom) that the individual comes into direct contact. First-hand interactions (referred to as proximal processes) take place within the microsystem.

Question 3

macrolevel in BPS model

Answer 3

At the macro level are the norms and attitudes of the culture, society, and economy in which the individual is embedded. These factors affect the individual indirectly by shaping the features of their environment at the micro level, as well as by shaping midlevel contexts (e.g. policies) and the contexts of the people with whom the individual interacts (e.g. parents’ workplace)

Question 4

apply BPS to curiosity in one sentence

Answer 4

curiosity is influenced by:
(a) the biopsychosocial characteristics of individuals that can be used to leverage curiosity,
(b) the first-hand interactions (i.e. proximal processes) that trigger curiosity, and
(c) the environmental contexts that nurture the development of curious individuals.

Question 5

3 forms of curiosity

Answer 5

• state: the momentary desire to resolve a knowledge gap. associated with features of context such as novelty and complexity. occurs at the intersection of individual and the context
• trait: a tendency to approach many situations with curiosity (in general)
• domain specific curiosity: refers to a recurring
  experience of curiosity situated within an academic domain (e.g. history, mathematics) and accounts for other features of domain-specific development.

Question 6

Both trait curiosity and domain-specific curiosity reflect the frequency an individual experiences state curiosity in general (i.e. trait curiosity) or within an academic domain (i.e. domain-specific curiosity)

Answer 6

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Question 7

define epistemic curiosity according to the information gap theory

Answer 7

Epistemic curiosity refers to the desire to acquire knowledge and information. According to Information Gap Theory (developed by George Loewenstein), curiosity arises when there is a perceived gap between what a person knows and what they want to know. The theory suggests that curiosity is triggered when individuals realize that they are missing some piece of knowledge. This “gap” creates a feeling of deprivation, motivating the person to seek out information to fill that gap and reduce the discomfort of not knowing. In other words, the larger the gap between what we know and what we want to know, the more curious we feel.

Question 8

describe how the environment can stimulate curiosity

Answer 8

1. Providing access to diverse information: Environments rich in knowledge resources (such as books, internet access, learning tools) encourage exploration.
2. Opportunities for exploration and discovery: Environments that offer new experiences, challenges, or open-ended tasks are more likely to provoke curiosity. Examples include museums, science centers, or even outdoor spaces that encourage creative play and investigation.
3. Encouraging a safe space for questioning: In social environments where asking questions, making mistakes, and experimenting are supported, individuals feel more comfortable being curious. Schools, workplaces, or family settings that foster a culture of curiosity help individuals pursue their interests.
4. Role models of curiosity: Watching others—parents, teachers, peers—model curious behavior (asking questions, engaging in learning) can stimulate curiosity in individuals.
5. Rewards for curiosity-driven learning: Positive reinforcement for curiosity (praise, rewards, opportunities for further exploration) can help sustain and deepen an individual’s natural inquisitiveness.

Question 9

Explain why individuals can differ in epistemic curiosity (from a bioecological systems perspective):

Answer 9

From a bioecological systems perspective (based on Bronfenbrenner’s theory), individual differences in epistemic curiosity can be explained by the interplay of multiple factors across different environmental systems:

Microsystem: The immediate environments of an individual, such as family, school, or peer groups, shape their curiosity. If a child grows up in a household that encourages questioning and learning, they are more likely to develop a high level of epistemic curiosity.

Macrosystem: The broader cultural and societal values about knowledge, learning, and education can shape how much curiosity is valued and encouraged.

Thus, individual differences in epistemic curiosity arise from a complex interaction between personal traits, immediate social influences, and broader cultural and societal factors.

Question 10

two biopsychosocial (individual) factors important in developing curiosity

Answer 10

1. knowledge
2. epistemic beliefs

Question 11

knowledge en curiosity: grens?

Answer 11

That is, curiosity increases as knowledge increases, but only up to the point of moderate knowledge — sometimes referred to as a ‘tip of the tongue’ state [27]. Individuals tend not to be curious when they already know something.

Question 12

epistemic beliefs=

Answer 12

beliefs about knowledge gaps: do people think it is easy to gain knowledge, or does it take substantial time and effort? is it handed down from authorities or individually constructed? etc

Question 13

growth mindset=

Answer 13

people who believe that ability is malleable

Question 14

wat moet er gebeuren om curiosity in de vorm van state curiosity te krijgen

Answer 14

To develop more enduring forms of curiosity (i.e. trait curiosity, domain-specific curiosity), therefore, the proximal processes that trigger state curiosity must take place throughout schooling. It is unlikely that one teacher or one lesson can bring about enduring changes in curiosity

Question 15

the interactions within components of the microsystem (e.g. between teachers and parents; the mesosystem) and across levels of context (e.g. between teachers and school policy; the exosystem) are necessary to account for the complexity of environmental systems

Answer 15

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Question 16

The current review summarizes evidence that curiosity is malleable and can be supported by considering individuals’ biopsychosocial factors, first-hand interactions, and educational contexts.

Answer 16

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Question 17

Together, the findings from this review suggest that educators, researchers, and policy-makers can support curiosity by:

Answer 17

• recognizing curiosity as a modifiable characteristic;
• targeting ideas for which students have moderate knowledge; supporting epistemic beliefs associated with increased curiosity;
• directly teaching students question-asking; providing culturally relevant curricula;
• advocating for flexible academic contexts that have time and space for curiosity.