Curiosity and the dynamics of optimal exploration

Abstract

Traditional theories frame curiosity as an intrinsic motivation to obtain information to resolve uncertainty.Recent empirical breakthroughs challenge this perspective and reframe curiosity in terms of the learning process itself: curiosity is sustained when individuals perceive improvements in their performance and actively engage in the process of learning.Unlike previous research, which remained agnostic about the change of curiosity over time, the learning progress framework provides insights into the temporal dynamics of curiosity, shedding light on its fluctuations based on the extent of learning progress individuals make.By integrating the desire to obtain information with the drive to make learning progress, we offer a unified account of curiosity.