On educating, curiosity, and interest development

This review provides curiosity researchers and neuroscientists with information about the distinction as well as the relation between curiosity and interest, and their potential to benefit educational practice. Both are universal, and are associated with rewarding information search (that is, they do not require external rewards for their existence); however, they differ in their characteristics and in their impact on learning. Whereas the information seeking that characterizes curiosity may result in short-term and specific learning as the knowledge gap is closed, information search associated with interest serves to trigger new questions leading to an ongoing deepening and development of learners’ knowledge and value. Suggestions are made about (a) how the coordination of research on curiosity and interest development could benefit educational practice, and (b) how neuroscientific research is uniquely positioned to distinguish between curiosity and interest.