Curious and Creative

  • Curiosity Can Change Your Brain Health for the Better

    February 6, 2025

    image from freepik.com

    Did you know that curiosity can change your brain health for the better?

    “Curiosity is a crucial aspect of managing your mind, which is the driving life force,” stated Dr. Caroline Leaf, a clinical neuroscientist.

    Research has found that curiosity plays a key role in stimulating brain activity. It helps form new neural connections. It also enhances learning and memory by activating the brain’s reward system and promoting dopamine release. Due to these changes, curiosity can increase your well-being and longevity.

    Curiosity is such a basic component of our nature, that we are oblivious to its pervasiveness in our lives stated neuroscientists Celeste Kidd and Benjamin Hayden who authored the psychological study “The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity.”

    Interest in the impact of curiosity has spread, and more research is being conducted on curiosity and its impact on our brains. Other researchers have found that curiosity plays a fundamental role for learning and memory. Matthias Gruber and Charan Ranganath, researchers at UC Davis, summarized that the neural mechanisms that stimulate curiosity and its effect on memory are poorly understood.

    In 2014 psychology researchers conducted and published a study on curiosity at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. One of the leading researchers, Dr. Amy Reichelt, wrote that stimulating curiosity is important across all ages, from schools to the workplace to senior living and elder care. These research findings will implicate areas such as medicine and education.

    UNSW study findings revealed three things:

    First, when people are curious to learn the answer to a question, they are better at learning the added information.

    Second, when curiosity is stimulated, there is an increase in hippocampus activity. The hippocampus is the region of the brain associated with memory.

    Third, when curiosity is stimulated there is increased activity in regions of the brain that are associated with reward.

    “Asking questions and being curious about everything that is your life is absolutely key and fundamental to how we function as humans,” stated Leaf, who added that curiosity helps you move forward, grow, improve your autonomy, and develop a deeper and richer understanding of yourself.

    My personal research findings reveal that nurturing a habit on inquiry will help keep your mind sharp as we age, reducing cognitive decline. I am learning more about neuroscience and how our brains react biologically to curious stimulation. Here is to be cultivating your curiosity each day. It will do your brain well.

    Resources:

    “Chasing Curiosity as We Age.” Adlen Network. Posted October 1, 2024. Retrieved on 2/2/2025 from https://www.alden.com/chasing-curiosity-as-we-age/#:~:text=It%20promotes%20cognitive%20health.,is%20critical%20for%20mental%20health.

    Grazer, Brian and

    Gruber MJ, Ranganath C. “How Curiosity Enhances Hippocampus-Dependent Memory: The Prediction, Appraisal, Curiosity, and Exploration.” (PACE) Framework. Trends Cogn Sci. 2019 Dec;23(12):1014-1025. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.10.003. Epub 2019 Nov 7. PMID: 31706791; PMCID: PMC6891259.

    Kidd, Celeste, and Benjamin Hayden. “The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity” Neuron, Volume 88, Issue 3, 449 – 460. Retrieved on 2/2/2025 from https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0896-6273%2815%2900767-9

    Leaf, Dr. Carol. “Surprising Benefits of Curiosity.” Podcast episode #554. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUQKqLFAk4g

    Leaf, Dr. Carol. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/the-surprising-benefits-of-curiosity

    Reichelt, Amy. “Curiosity Changes the Brain to Boost Memory and Learning.” Posted on October 3, 2014. Retrieved on 2/2/2025 from https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2014/10/curiosity-changes-the-brain-to-boost-memory-and learning#:~:text=The%20curious%20mind%20is%20a%20vortex%20for%20information&text=It%20seems%20that%20in%20the,the%20time%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20said.

  • Embrace Uncertainty

    January 31, 2025

    (image from Freepik)

    At the end of 2024, I signed up for a craft fair to display my artwork and gain exposure as an artist. I felt anxious as the date of the event approached. I feared I would sit at my table and not sell anything. I knew these fears of mine drove my ego. The night before the event, I decided that any sales would be donated to my favorite charity in hopes that I would sell more. I sold a few things thanks to a good friend of mine who stopped by to support me.

    Yet, the results of the craft event did not meet my expectations. I have asked myself many times over if my expectations were realistic. Was the event and location not the right fit for my type of art? Since that day of the craft fair, I have been discouraged that I have not picked up a paint brush to paint since December. When I met with my counselor earlier this month, she pointed out to me that donating the sales may have undermined my intent in the eyes of the buyer because it was a perception of product quality or worth. I admit I was stunned by that statement. I am still pondering that comment. I am still uncertain about my art. I have put that pursuit on the back burner. Making it less of a priority of mine.

    I have switched gears. Earlier this month, I began writing this current blog, Curious and Creative. Most of my time and my mind has been focused on being curious. I noticed that I am less anxious. As I noted in my last blog, fear and curiosity do not often co-exist at the same time as our brains. Anxiety is closely related to fear. I have read that curiosity is also an antidote for anxiety. Although I have not done formal study, my personal experience is lining up that being curious has impacted my mind and it has been less anxious as of late.

    What does this have to do with embracing uncertainty? Curiosity is linked to the unknown and uncertainty. Neuroscientific studies have concluded that curiosity, fear, and anxiety cannot exist in the brain at the same time as they affect different regions of the brain. Fear and anxiety light up the amygdala, which is the hard-wired warning system in our brain, whereas curiosity impacts the pre-frontal cortex, releasing the reward chemical dopamine that floods our body, making us feel good and happy.

    “Life is uncertain. We never know what will happen, and many things are unknowable. This can make us feel stressed or worried, since the unknown is associated with danger,” wrote Jill Suttie.

    I was surprised when I read that there are benefits of being unsure. Up to this point, I never considered uncertainty as a positive thing. I just began listening to Maggie Jackson’s book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure through Audible. It was published in November 2023.

    Jackson writes that allowing us to be unsure is tied to embracing easier learning, better decision making, responding well in a crisis, improved mental health and warmer social relationships. Who knows that there are so many benefits to embracing uncertainty. I did not.

    In interview with Jill Suttie, Maggie Jackson stated that we have a very negative view of uncertainty. We largely see it as paralyzing. Yet, studies find that uncertainty is really important or helpful to us, as it is an opportunity to investigate, to open up space between question and answer.

    Business and Leadership coach Shruti Mouli wrote that most of us go through life in a very predictable fashion. We crave certainty and do whatever it takes to maintain that. However, Mouli added, do not expect greatness if we cling to certainty, expect mediocrity instead.

    Mouli suggested that we ask ourselves what would happen if you let go of the need for certainty?

    Uncertainty is a spur to better thinking, noted Jackson, adding that being unsure can be related to deeper deliberation. Uncertainty is a strength not a paralyzer.

    Harvard Business Review writer Edith Onderick-Harvey points out in her article “5 Behaviors of Leaders Who Embrace Change,” that leaders who are “change-agile” look at changes in their environments as opportunities. The “change-agile” leaders try to make change thinking contagious.

    Change can be scary as it can often mean uncertainty. I realize I need to learn to be open to uncertainty, although my anxiety could fight me on this.

    Writer Meg-John Barker stated embracing uncertainty is that it takes time. When faced with uncertainty in life we often find it incredibly painful and rush to resolve it as quickly as possible. 

    While curiosity can lead to growth, the absence of curiosity can lead to stagnation as stated by the Resilience Institute. As individuals, we can avoid the pitfalls of stagnation and keep curiosity alive. It suggests that you avoid the routine ruts, stay connected with curious people, and embrace uncertainty. Lean into the unknown.

    The unknown and the uncertainty can get messy. It can mean pain.

    Meg-John Barker, which suggests leaning into pain. This means that you must take a good hard look at the situation that you are in, if needed take a break to regain your strength.

    What I have learned from my research is that I need to embrace uncertainty, be open minded, agile, and change positive. This can lead to growth, opportunity and potential.

    For now, I will leave you with this quote.

    “Followers need to see it to believe it. Leaders believe so they create it,” Sharon Pearson, author of Disruptive Leadership.

    Resources:

    Barker, Meg-John. “Embracing uncertainty: What does it really mean?” Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/conflict-break-up/embracing-uncertainty-what-does-it-really-mean/#:~:text=Embracing%20uncertainty%20involves%20being%20prepared,look%20closely%20at%20the%20situation.

    Jackson, Maggie. Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure

    Mouli, Shruti. “Embracing Certainty.” April 21, 2021, posted on Linked-In. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-uncertainty-shruti-mouli-1c/

    Onderick-Harvey, Edith. “5 Behaviors of Leaders Who Embrace Change.” May 18, 2018. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://hbr.org/2018/05/5-behaviors-of-leaders-who-embrace-change

    The Resilience Institute, Editorial Team. “Curiosity: The Catalyst for Growth and Resilience.” August 27, 2024. The Resilience Institute website. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://resiliencei.com/blog/curiosity-the-catalyst-for-growth-andresilience#:~:text=What%20is%20Curiosity?,that%20drives%20learning%20and%20innovation.

    Suttie, Jill. “How Embracing Uncertainty Can Improve Your Life.” March 11, 2024. Greater Good Magazine. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_embracing_uncertainty_can_improve_your_life#:~:text=It’s%20a%20kind%20of%20wakefulness,space%20between%20question%20and%20answer.

  • Curiosity is an Antidote to Fear

    January 30, 2025

    Curiosity and fear are two different states in our minds, and they impact different parts of our brains.

    As we have evolved as humans, fear has become the internal warning system that is hard-wired to protect ourselves. Fear can trigger the fight or flight response when our brain senses a threat. The amygdala  region of the brain moves into the driver’s seat when a threat is detected. Contrarily, curiosity is driven by our desire to learn, explore and understand our surroundings. The pre-frontal cortex that is in charge of higher-order thinking lights up and kicks into gear when we are involved or curious.

    According to neuroscientists, curiosity and fear are considered opposing mental states. Curiosity is actively seeking information and engagement, while fear pulls us back from potential and perceived threats. Our brain shifts between the regions of the brain that are activated by curiosity or fear.

    “Here’s our powerful opportunity — by cultivating curiosity, we can calm our fears,” wrote Sara Hickman, Change Consultant at the website “Brave in the U.K.”

    Think of fears that you have. Are they spiders, snakes, death, or something else? One of the biggest fears that people have is public speaking. How many of you can relate to that fear? I learned that many would rather be in the coffin than give a eulogy at a funeral.  It is amazing to think that public speaking is more feared than death itself.  Does public speaking frighten you?  What does it feel like when you are fearful? A sense of dread may awash your body.

    Let’s imagine, you are attending a meeting. A co-worker makes an introduction and your name is announced. Now… it is your time to walk onto the stage. Perhaps the palms of your hands begin to sweat, your stomach starts to churn, and a lump in your throat forms, and your heart may begin racing. Fear can be felt in our bodies.  Don’t let your fear take over the wheel. You are still in control. Fear can be insidious, but you are not indefensible against it. The antidote…Curiosity.

    When your curiosity is piqued by an interesting fact or interesting tidbit, your brain enters the “curiosity state.” First, the parts of the brain which are sensitive to uncomfortable or unknown conditions and environments light up. Then the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory, known as the pre-frontal cortex, comes online. Our brains then release the reward chemical dopamine. Dopamine has been found to intrinsically linked to the brain’s curiosity state. When you are curious and learning new facts and exploring the unknown, the brain floods our bodies with dopamine. Dopamine makes us happier.

    Would you rather be excited and energized by curiosity or sick to your stomach with fear? In the simplest terms, curiosity acts in the opposite way of fear. I know what I would choose. Do you?

    It is not that simple. We have train our bodies to start choosing curiosity over fear. It will take time to do so. Curiosity is not just an antidote, it is a mindset.

    Resources:

    Britannica Curiosity Compass. “The Science of Curiosity.” Retrieved on 1/29/2025 from https://curiosity.britannica.com/science-of-curiosity.html

    Discover Your Curiosity Type. https://curiosity.britannica.com/curiosity-personality-quiz

    Hickman, Sara. Director & Principal Consultant. “The Antidote to Fear is Curiosity.” Retrieved on 1/29/2025 from https://wearebrave.co.uk/the-antidote-for-fear-is-curiosity#:~:text=Fear%20and%20curiosity%20are%20like,powerful%20tool%20for%20managing%20fear%E2%80%A6.

    Noice, Cathy. “Curiosity: The Antidote for Fear. November 23, 2014. Retrieved on 1/29/2025 from https://workplacenavigator.com/2014/11/23/curiosity-the-antidote-for-fear/

    clip art courtesy of dreamstime.

  • “The Importance of Asking Why”

    January 26, 2025

    “Our behavior is affected by our assumptions or our perceived truths. We make decisions based on what we think we know,” wrote Simon Sinek, author of the book Start with Why.

    Many know the importance of asking “why “ questions. Many have sought knowledge and better understanding, which is perhaps why Simon Sinek’s TED Talk “Start with Why” has over 9 million views, and why his book Start with Why has sold over a million copies worldwide.

    As a toddler and young child, humans ask many questions, particularly ones that begin with “why.” Asking questions helps the toddler and young child develop language and understanding. The average 2 to 5 year old may ask over 400 questions per day.

    During Andrew Vincent’s 2019 TEDx Talk, he stated, once a child enters and proceeds through the educational process, questions start to no longer be asked or questioned. When a teen enters secondary school, they start chasing exam results. As teens, students may not think about the question at all. The focus becomes getting an answer that is required to get the grade that the student wants.  

    “The question is no longer questioned, and the question is set by someone else,” commented Vincent.  Yet, questions will arise, and answers matter. Vincent pointed out that questions matter even more. The questions of discovery are the beautiful questions, and they can never be used too much.

    I found several resources outlining benefits of asking questions, including ones that Andrew Vincent notes his TEDx Talk. Asking questions helps us:

    • Forge connections
    • Emphasize.
    • Get to know people.
    • Understand why things are the way they are.
    • Clarify underlying motivations.
    • Encourage critical thinking and critical thinking skills.
    • Build stronger relationships.

    This brings me back to Sinek. In his book, Sinek highlighted the concept of the Golden Circle. Think of three concentric circles:  In the smallest inner circle is the word ‘why”, in the next circle is the word “how,” and the outer circle is the word “what.” Many organizations and individuals may be able to answer what they do and how it is done.  Yet, there are many, perhaps even yourself, your organization, or your business may not have answered the why of what you do. Answering the “why” we do what we do could help us understand better, plus, motivate us and others. Most particularly, we differentiate ourselves and stand out from our competitors.


    The Golden Circle as described by Simon Sinek

    Resources:

    Carew International. Retrieved on 1/25/2025 from https://www.carew.com/why-should-we-ask-why-20-creative-ways-to-ask-why-that-you-can-use-today/

    Sinek, Simon. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Act. Portfolio/Penguin.

    Vincent, Andrew. “The Art of Asking Questions.” TEDX Bollington. TEDX Talks. July 15.2019.

  • How do you ask questions?

    January 16, 2025

    I once heard that there is no such thing as a “dumb” question, but one that is not asked. Many people hold back from asking questions, because they are afraid to look foolish or be embarrassed. If a question is in your mind, it might be one that others have as well. Ask the question.

    In my last blog, I asked my readers, “Do you ask questions?” In this blog, I am focusing on how you ask questions. The way you ask questions will give you the direction to the possible answers. How we ask questions of others and ourselves impacts and affects communication. I have learned that lesson many times over, particularly as a parent.

    As a child, my younger son did not ask “why” questions as often as he asked “how” questions. He wanted to know how to do things. If I asked if he cleaned his room, an overwhelming feeling of “where do I begin?”  would wash over him. Rather, if he could pick up the towels in his room and take them to the laundry room; he was able to do that.

    My younger son is now 26 years old. He was diagnosed twenty years ago with Asperger’s syndrome, more commonly known now as autism spectrum disorder. Over the preceding years, he was also diagnosed with audio processing challenges and attention deficit disorder (inattentive type), which can cause some communication challenges.

    Over the last two decades, I have learned to phrase my questions better, so I can help my son understand what I am asking of him. I am learning to speak more slowly. Admittedly, in the rush of the day, I am still working on slowing down, calling out his name and waiting for a response before asking a question or listing things to do. I am working to reduce what we call in our home, “drive by instructions.” I admit it some communication habits are hard to break without practice. I have learned that how we phrase questions can matter.

    I would like you to take a few moments to read the following scenario. Take your time. Here is a scenario:  You are in a tight financial position this month, as an unexpected expense came about. You’re stressed and finances are spread thinly.  If you asked yourself, “what should I do?” How would your mind process an answer? You may draw a blank, or panic, or just stare at a computer screen. Instead of asking yourself, “what should I do?”  Ask yourself “what could I do,” or,  “How am I doing now?”

    Phrasing questions may impact your brain’s information, an internet search, or something else from other individuals and sources. Take the time to consider the types of questions that you want to ask.

    Writer J. Robert Parkinson once heard a talk radio guest comment, “ask the wrong question, and you’ll get the wrong answer.” Parkinson wrote that although no one deliberately seeks a wrong answer, you might get one, if you do not give enough forethought to what question you want to ask.

    Parkinson suggested asking open-ended questions with “how,” “why,” or “what.” Using open-ended questions can collect a lot of info from the other person and about a particular subject.

    As I continued my research, I came across a blog from the Curiosity Tank.

    Here are some tips from that blog:

    • Identify and avoid leading questions, these are any questions that contain bias.
    • Remove any industry jargon or acronyms. Simplify.
    • Eliminate any unnecessary words.
    • Phrase questions in layperson terms.

    Here is some other advice: ask one question at a time. Pause after each question. Give the other person time to reply. Do not jump in after the initial reply. Pause again after hearing the initial response. It takes practice. Before asking a question, think about how you will ask it.

    Resources:

    Curiosity Tank blog “Question wording is Important.” Retrieved on January 15., 2025 from https://www.curiositytank.com/blog/question-wording-is-important

    Parkinson, J. Robert “Phrasing questions to get right information is a necessary art.”January 4, 2014. The Herald Tribune. Retrieved on January 15, 2025 from https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2014/01/04/phrasing-questions-to-get-right-information-is-a-necessary-art/29220850007/

    “Question Phrasing’”. Retrieved on January 15, 2025, from https://wp.stolaf.edu/iea/question-phrasing/

  • Do You Ask Questions?

    January 13, 2025

    Did you know that a four-year-old asks between 200 and 300 questions a day?  According to a report by Harvard based psychologist Paul Harris, a child can ask around 40 thousand questions between 2 to 4 years of age. Asking questions, particularly “why” questions, is a crucial part of a child’s language development and learning process.

    Yet, between childhood and adulthood, the number of questions adults ask diminishes greatly. Adults ask an average of six questions a day. As a curious person and writer, I ask a lot of questions, but I was astounded at that low average.  Frankly, I am saddened that more adults aren’t asking more questions. If childlike wonder is indicative of the number of questions asked, adults’ sense of wonder dissipates so drastically as we age.

    Although children look to adults as teachers, wrote Regan Olsson, we often don’t consider what kids could be teaching us.

    Olsson interviewed Kristine Gotto, Ph.D., Psychologist at the University Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. She shared that one life lesson we can learn from kids is to be curious and excited. Being inquisitive is how children learn, as they aren’t burdened with worry or hindered by what others think.

    We can watch kids take risks and be fearless. We can also learn to do it ourselves. Although it may be hard, we can grow a little each day, said Dr. Gotto, adding, life is about learning. If we are willing to be humble, we can learn from what kids can offer us.

    As I mentioned, the average adult may ask six questions a day. There are others who depend on asking questions to improve life, innovate, and become more creative. I have learned that as important as it is to ask questions, it is just as important to the learn the art of asking questions.

    Journalist and author Warren Berger was interviewed in “The Art of Asking Questions,” an educational video on Big Think’s YouTube page. Berger stated it sounds counterintuitive, but questions are becoming more important than answers. The ideas of questions become more important than questions are embraced by Silicon Valley, and other centers of innovation.

    Berger has done his own research. He found at the root and origination of many innovations, there is a great question. Questioning allows us to organize our thinking around what we don’t know.

    “We have so much knowledge, information, and answers at our fingertips,” said Berger. He added it is just as important to ask the right questions as it can help us know what to do with this information.

    As a child, we ask many naïve questions, but as we get older, we learn when it is appropriate to ask questions, and what questions may be considered appropriate in a social setting, states Jonathan Keats, philosopher and author of You Belong to the Universe.

    Keats said to ask a naïve question.  Even if it is in our mind, ask that sort of question. We can let it play out, that process in our minds until it “is more concrete and actionable in an adult responsible way.”

    Questions are a survival skill for all of us, stated Berger.

    Berger has spent a lot of time doing his own research. He discovered that, “In schools, we really value the answers and there is almost no value placed on asking a good question.” Presently, teachers are stretched and stressed to teaching to the test, there is little time for students’ questions that do not relate to the curriculum.  He has is now seeing schools and teachers are addressing the importance of asking questions and trying to deal how schools value asking a good question.  

    Ask dumb questions, said Tim Ferris, investor and author of Tools of the Titans. There is power in the absurd question. Journaling is very important. Ferris said he writes down a question each day, then he writes three to five journal pages answering that question. As you journal, you can come up with interesting ideas. Although ninety percent of what you write in your journal may turn out to be garbage, that other ten percent could lead you in an interesting direction that can revolutionize your business or life.

    Our world and culture are governed by shame and political correctness, commented Ferriss. He has noticed that more and more people are not speaking their minds or asking questions, due to shame and embarrassment. Override the embarrassment of asking that dumb question, and just ask it, said Ferris.

    Perhaps that dumb question that is in your mind, if asked may turn out to be the smartest question because you were the only one who dared to ask it replied Ferris.

    Adults should ask more questions than they do. Curiosity is healthy. Asking lots of questions is healthy. Both spur development and growth, wrote David Benjamin and David Komlos, former contributors to Forbes.com.

    Are you asking questions? I encourage you to be fearless, take risks, ask that question that is on your mind.

    Resources:

    Big Think “The Art of asking the right questions.” Retrieved on 1/10/2025 from the art of asking the right questions | Tim Ferriss, Warren Berger, Hope Jahren & more | Big Think

    Benjamin, David and David Komlos. “Has Your Organization Stopped Asking Questions.” Forbes.com September 26,2022. Retrieved on 1/10/2025 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminkomlos/2022/09/26/has-your-organization-stopped-asking-questions/

    Olsson, Regan, contributing writer. “Four Life Lessons We Can Learn from Kids.” May 19, 2021, Banner Health. Retrieved on 1/10/2025 from https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/advise-me/four-life-lessons-we-can-learn-from-kids

  • A Maverick of Experimental Psychology

    January 9, 2025

    Did you know that there are several types of curiosity held by humans? Neither did I.

    As a curious person who often jumps down internet “rabbit holes,” my exploration led me to various articles on curiosity. My exploration landed on Daniel Berlyne. Berlyne was a leading 20th century world renowned experimental psychologist. In the 1950’s, Berlyne was one of the first psychologists to offer a comprehensive model of curiosity.

    According to an article “The Five Dimensions of Curiosity,” psychologists have compiled a large body of research on curiosity and its benefits. Since the 1950s, psychologists have offered up competing theories about what makes a person curious. One of the leading minds was Berlyne.

    Berlyne noted that curiosity is a primary driver of exploration. Berlyne was the first to offer a comprehensive model of curiosity. He concluded that diversive curiosity occurs when a bored person searches for something-anything-to boost arousal. There is also specific curiosity that happens when a hyper-stimulated person tries to understand what’s happening in order to reduce arousal to a more managed level.

    Berlyne was a British and Canadian psychologist, born in Britain in April 1924. Berlyne graduated from Cambridge University with a B.A. in 1947, and an M.A. in 1949. Berlyne first worked in academics at St. Andrews University in Scotland. In 1951, Berlyne left Scotland to pursue his Ph.D. at Yale University in the United States. During his career, Berlyne worked at several universities in Canada and the United States. He specialized in the field of experimental and exploratory psychology.

    He wrote or co-authored seven books and 150 journal articles and book chapters. He was honored as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Fellow of the British Psychological association, and lectured at universities on four different continents. He served as President of the Canadian Psychological Association from 1971-72. Those are just a few of the honors that Berlyne earned.

    Berlyne made considerable amount time to the study of curiosity. He wanted to know why various species displayed curiosity, and what motivates them to explore their environments. According to the American Journal of Psychology, Berlyne’s most important single work was in his 1960 book, Conflict, Arousal and Curiosity. This book was the “tour de force” and influenced so many in the fields of psychology. Berlyn’s view was ahead of his time.

    Writers John J. Furedy and Christine Furedy characterized Berlyne as a maverick, because of his independence of thought and research methods he utilized. Based on interview material and other resources, the Furedys collected and studied, they concluded that Berlyne was extremely interested in ideas for their own sakes. Berlyne’s independent trait showed up in his teaching as well. Much of the content of the post-doctoral students’ work is related to what Berlyne was concerned about at the time. Yet, there was little similarity in form of thought or methods among his students. Berlyne spent considerable time and energy teaching his peers and students how to do research. Berlyne marched to his own drumbeat. Berlyne died young at the age of fifty-two in 1976 after a prolonged illness and many operations. Berlyne’s research lives on and has influenced many other generations interested in his work.

    Resources:

    American Journal of Psychology, March 1978, Vol. 91, no.1, pp 133-137

    Hayden, Benjamin, and Celeste Kidd. “The Psychology and Neuroscience of Curiosity.” Retrieved on 1/2/2025 from

    Furedy, John J. and Christine P Furedy, “Daniel Berlyne and psychonomy; the bear of a different drum.” Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society, 1979. 13 (4), 203-205.

    Kashdan, Todd B, David J. Disaboto, Fallon R Goodman, and Carl Naughton. “The Five Dimensions of Curiosity.” Harvard Business Review. September-October 2018 *(the magazine) https://hbr.org/2018/09/the-five-dimensions-of-curiosity retrieved on 1/3/2025.

    British Psychologist Daniel Berlyne

    

    


    


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    What is Creativity?
    


    

    1/5/2025
    




    That is a loaded question, indeed. The Oxford Dictionary defines creativity as the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work. Whereas, writer Dattopant Thengadi from the Indian government’s website CBWE, defined creativity as a characteristic of a person to generate new ideas, alternatives, solutions, and possibilities in a unique and different way.
    




    These were just some of the definitions of creativity. One of the definitions that I like and relate to the most I found on the Quora forum. Creativity is the ability to produce novel and valuable ideas, products, or solutions. It involves combining existing knowledge and experiences in new and unexpected ways to create something original and useful, wrote freelancer Rajan Varghese.
    




    Varghese added that the most creative thing that a human can do is subjective and depends on individual perspective and experiences. Creativity allows individuals to express themselves. Individual creativity can make a positive impact on the world.
    




    How would you define creativity?
    




    BasicArts writer Alex Smith defined creativity as the ability to shepherd something into existence, manage its growth, allow it to become vibrant, and nurture it. Whereas, imagination is the ability to picture something that doesn’t exist. More often than not, if a person says they are not creative, they actually mean, they are not imaginative. They cannot come up with something at random.
    




    The late Sir Ken Robinson described creativity as a process of having an original ideas that have value. Creativity is not random. Creativity is putting imagination to work, and it has produced the most extraordinary results in our human culture.
    




    “The human mind is profoundly and uniquely creative and it all begins with imagination,” wrote Robinson from his book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative.
    




    During Robinson’s life, he made it his mission to transform education and organizations by a richer conception of human creativity and intelligence.
    




    Robinson wrote, there are misconceptions about creativity. Here are a few:
    




      

    1. Only special people are creative. This is not true. People have varying levels of creativity in different fields. If you are human, you have the power of being creative; yet you may not have developed that power fully.
      2. 




    2. Creativity is about special things, i.e. the arts. Often people may say that they are not creative, it may mean that they are not artistic or musical. Robinson reported that you can be creative if you are a mathematician, software developer or business leader. Human intelligence is a possible site of original thinking. Rather than, asking are you creative? Ask how are you creative?
      3. 




    3. The third misconception is you are creative or you are not. That is the end of that. Robinson disagreed with this conception. There is a lot you can do to become more creative. I will touch on that in a future blog post.
      4. 

    




    In Robinson’s TED talk, “How Schools Kill Creativity.” Robinson stated “we are educating people of out of their creative capacities…I believe this passionately, that we don’t grow into creativity, we grow out of it. Or rather, we get educated out of it.”
    




    Our current educational system and culture’s impact on our creativity as children and adults is a topic of its own that I’ll delve into in another blog post.
    




    I will end this blog by asking, What makes you creative?
    




    Resources:
    




    Robinson, Ken. Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative. 2017. Capstone
    




    Smith, Alex “The crucial difference between imagination and creativity”. Basic Arts website. https://basicarts.org/the-crucial-difference-between-imagination-and-creativity/ retrieved on 1/3/2025.
    




    Thengadi, Dattoapnt, National Board for Workers Education and Development, Government of India. https://dtnbwed.cbwe.gov.in/images/upload/Creativity-and-Innovation_YYB3.pdf (retrieved on 1/3/2025)
    




    Varghese, Rajan, freelancer/poster on the Quora forum https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-definition-of-creativity-What-is-the-most-creative-thing-that-a-human-can-do. Retrieved on 1/3/2025.
    




    “Foundation of Creativity” Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. https://dpi.wi.gov/fine-arts/foundations-creativity retrieved on 1/3/2025.
    




    




    




    

    


    


  • 


    


    Curiosity is A Vital Cognitive Tool, Nurture it.
    


    

    January 1, 2025
    




    Curiosity is more than a mere desire to know. It is a vital cognitive tool that shapes how our brain functions, learns, and adapts, wrote Matt Murrie, “The Impact of Curiosity on Brain Function: Exploring Cognitive Benefits,” (Whatifcuriosity.com)
    




    Psychologists Celeste Kidd and Benjamin Y Hayden have determined that curiosity is crucial to healthy development. Additionally, despite its pervasiveness, psychologists and social scientists have not agreed upon what curiosity is. Although there have been various barriers to defining curiosity over the last century, interest in studying curiosity has grown steadily among modern neuroscientists and psychologists.
    




    American Philosopher and Psychologist William James called curiosity an impulse towards better cognition. James summarized curiosity as a desire to understand what is known but not yet understood. Curiosity is a tool for increasing knowledge, a powerful motivator, and an innate human behavior.
    




    Although curiosity is a basic element of our cognition, its biological function, mechanisms, and neural underpinning remains poorly understood.
    




    According to writer Jeremy Schwartz, “How Curiosity Changes Your Brain,” we are born naturally curious. He adds curiosity is a desire to know more, be aware, our sense of curiosity can lessen over time.
    




    According to Psychologs, an Indian mental health online magazine, not everyone experiences curiosity in the same way. Educational and early childhood experience play a crucial role in nurturing or suppressing natural curiosity. Though it is thought that children are famously curious, healthy adults can maintain high level of curiosity throughout life. The focus may shift from a broad exploration to deeper, more specific interests.
    




    As our brains continue to grow and change throughout our lives, it changes the structure of our brains. Learning to think differently has longstanding effects on our brains, wrote Schwartz.
    




    As a thought enters our brain, neurons fire. As we learn and experience emotion, new neural paths are created and portions of our brain become larger. You can indeed change your brain with one action at a time, wrote Schwartz.
    




    According to Psychologs magazine, per an evolutionary perspective, curiosity provided our ancestors with significant survival advantages. A desire to learn about their environments helped our ancestors to identify dangers and opportunities.
    




    Interestingly, modern neuroscience has revealed new insights into how curiosity operates in the brain. When we encounter novel or puzzling information, it triggers our curiosity. That then releases dopamine involved with eating, sex, and other pleasurable activities. From that point, curiosity primes our brains for learning. The hippocampus, which is crucial for memory formation, becomes more active when we are curious. Indeed, research has shown that curiosity is a vital cognitive tool for growth.
    




    Resources:
    




    https://www.whatifcuriosity.com/post/the-impact-of-curiosity-on-brain-function-exploring-cognitive-benefits
    




    The psychology and neuroscience of curiosity. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4635443/Retrieved on 12/29/2024.
    




    “How Curiosity Changes Your Brain” by Jeremy Schwartz, August 4, 2017. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4635443/ retrieved on 12/29/2024.
    




    “The Psychology of Neuroscience of Curiosity” by Psychologs Magazine. November 27, 2024. https://www.psychologs.com/the-psychology-and-neuroscience-of-curiosity/Retrieved on 12/29/2024. Psychologs is India’s first mental health magazine.