The Underlying Factors Of Curiosity - 1412 Words

When humans are born and experience sight for the first time, they start upon an involuntary journey of discovery. As senses develop, infants find themselves surrounded by limitless stimuli and sources of perplexity. Surprisingly, through the noise of this new environment, questions begin to take root: Who is she? What is that? Where am I? This curiosity, or the desire to learn something, emerges uninvited when faced with the unknown, and is present from birth (Berlyne, 1950). In some cases, by following these mental itches, one can discover a facet of existence previously unbeknownst to her or possibly anyone else. However, sometimes there are dire consequences from taking an uncharted path. Through this paper, I consider the underlying†¦show more content†¦This area of the brain plays a central role in managing reward-oriented behaviors, and is now believed to be fundamental in the formation of curiosity. Additionally, the same region is responsible for addiction, which sh ows a parallel between the desire for information and the craving for something harmful. The drive one feels to answer a question or challenge a presupposition is evidently meant to result in a feeling of pleasure; thus, on a neurological level, curiosity should accompany a release of dopamine, serotonin, or other opioid chemicals (Berlyne, 1960). Most forms of pleasure seeking behavior are attempted because, sometime in the past, a similar action resulted in a discharge of dopamine. Dopamine is one of the most important neurotransmitters, but it is also a major cause of addiction. Certain pleasurable activities, some as benign as solving problems or eating food, will result in increased dopamine levels. On the other hand, dopamine can also be released in the presence of negative stimuli, such as pain. What this relationship shows is that dopamine is a motivational factor, both in seeking pleasure and avoiding displeasure; yet, the important takeaway is that curiosity, just like giving in to addiction, is acted upon in the anticipation of satisfaction, when in reality it may end adversely (Jordan, 2005). Physiological Factors Unlike the neurological aspects, the physiological changes associated with curiosity are not as