Scientists have often seen curiosity as a motivation that compels us to discover new information and to initiate and facilitate learning. That framing suggests curiosity【C1】_____us to find answers as soon as possible. This【C2】__for answers aligns with what psychologists think is a main function of curiosity: to【C3】__uncertainty. This feeling of uncertainty then motivates a search for information that, 【C4】__obtained, is met with【C5】_____and satisfaction.

But this picture of curiosity is【C6】_____. In a recent study, we explored whether there are multiple【C7】__of curiosity.【C8】__past work has shown that higher curiosity increases motivation to get information, our study found that it also【C9】__greater avoidance of “early” answers. Why do our findings differ from those of past studies? One important difference is what happens while people wait for more information. When opportunities for seeking information【C10】__, curiosity may favor its patient accumulation. But when the information to be gained from waiting is limited,【C11】_____resolution may be desirable.

Our study【C12】_____revealed that curiosity seemed to【C13】__along with the question a person was asking, like shifting from an exploratory musing to a more focused query. Interestingly, the【C14】__for information also seemed to feel different【C15】__the journey to resolution. When uncertainty was greatest, curiosity was experienced with【C16】__. But as people got【C17】__to the big reveal, curiosity coincided with frustration. Yet【C18】_____how curiosity changed, we found that greater curiosity encouraged engagement in the process.

Our work underlines the【C19】_____of curiosity, opening new avenues for research to explore its varieties. Thinking about curiosity as going【C20】_____the need for quick answers also highlights the power of what happens when we engage with uncertainty.

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