A Dynamic Systems Theory of epistemic curiosity

Subasi A.

NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY, vol.54, pp.8-14, 2019 (SSCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 54
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.newideapsych.2018.12.003
  • Journal Name: NEW IDEAS IN PSYCHOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.8-14
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The article offers a unified theory of epistemic curiosity within dynamic systems framework. It focuses on complex motivational dynamics leading to epistemic curiosity preferences, which are complexly determined by a combination of motivational, affective and cognitive sub-systems operating within an epistemic ecology. Each sub-system is delimited and modelled as an interacting dimension of the multidimensional causality of the system. The theory focuses on personal variations rather than population averages and offers a framework for modelling personality-based epistemic curiosity characteristics based on an analysis of epistemic curiosity preferences.