Exploratory Behavior and Curiosity in Two Age and Ability Groups of Children

Abstract

Sixty-four second and sixth grade children with IQs in the average and gifted ranges (1) were observed in a semi-structured situation with six selected objects and (2) were allowed to expose as frequently as they wished each of a series of slides varying in complexity. Exposure time was set at 0.20 sec. Analysis of variance applied to exploratory time during the observation period yielded significant results across objects, but not for the ability and age (school grade) variables. However, tachistoscopic exposure frequencies were influenced by ability and age variables as well as by stimulus complexity. The results are discussed in terms of the stimulus properties of novelty, manipulability, and complexity and in terms of developmental trends.

Exploration, curiosity, and play in young children: Effects of stimulus complexity.

“…The position of Nunnally and Lemond (1973) leads to the expectation that older children are more curious than are younger children because older children probably have more information conflict to resolve than do younger children. A few experimenters (Hutt & McGrew, 1969;Pielstick & Woodruff, 1965 have shown that young children manifest more curiosity than do older children. Other experimenters (Kaess & Weir, 1968;Thomas, 1966) have failed to find significant differences in curiosity as a function of age.…”

On Curiosity and Science Education

“…Welker [58] found that 7to 8-year-old chimpanzees showed less interest in his test objects than did 3to 4-year-old animals. Both Maw and Maw [38] and Pielstick and Woodruff [54] found evidence for higher ability children to be more curious. What is effective in arousing curiosity in elementary school children may be quite different from what is effective for college subjects.…”

“…According to Berlyne, "perceptual curiosity" [5,6] [54] have distinguished between "exploratory behavior" and "curiosity." The former term is used to describe interest in or attention to one portion of the environment.…”

“…A hidden observer studies the subjects exploratory behavior in relation to the objects present [54]. Other studies utilize the tachistoscopic presentation of slides differing in complexity and record the number of slide presentations and the length of time each is viewed [7,54].…”