Curious and Creative

Tag: neuroscience

  • Our Brains Are Wired for Social Connection

    12/21/2025

    Over the last four weeks, I have focused on the topic of loneliness and its impact on our overall health, not just mental health. Isolation increases risks for mental and physical health issues including heart disease. As I noted, the type of connection is important.

    I have been in a crowded room with tons of people around me and felt disconnected and lonely.

    According to writer Maggie Wooll, loneliness is a state of mind that occurs when there’s a disconnect between one’s desire for human connection and their actual level of connection. In other words, it is when our longing for human relationships is unfulfilled. Our levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, go up when we feel lonely.

    Did you know that chronic stress can lead to many health issues? Recent studies have compared loneliness to smoking fifteen cigarettes per day.

    Human beings are inherently social creatures, wrote Sam Goldstein, Ph.D., an adjunct faculty member at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He added, human survival and well-being depend on social connections and meaningful relationships.

    “Anthropological studies indicate that early humans engaged in rituals, storytelling, and cooperative child-rearing—practices that strengthened social bonds and enhanced group cohesion (Tomasello, 2014). The need for social connection is so deeply ingrained in our biology that our bodies react negatively to prolonged isolation,” wrote Goldstein.

    What is human connection? According to Wooll, human connection is a deep bond that is formed between people when they feel seen and valued. During an authentic human connection, people exchange positive energy with one another and build trust.

    Have you heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? According to Maslow, food, water, safety, love, and belonging are the most important needs we must fulfill. When our needs and desire for interpersonal relationships and intimacy are met, our overall well-being improves, leading to more fulfilled life.

    There is a big benefit of social interaction, as it relieves loneliness as much as eating reduces hunger, according to a Harvard study released in March 2025. The study’s findings revealed specialized neurons in the hypothalamus that drive our desire for social interaction. Additionally, when we physically connect with others, our brain’s reward system activates.

    The hypothalamus is located at the base of the brain. It serves as the brain’s hub for regulating our basic needs. When we physically connect with others, our brains’ reward systems activate. When the reward system activates, the brain releases the “feel good” chemicals, such as serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine. Serotonin can brighten our mood, oxytocin fosters feelings of closeness, and dopamine reinforces the idea that connecting with others is a good thing.

    The teams of researchers observed that there are two groups of neurons at play. They are encoded to different states of social behavior. One group represents the brain’s need for connection after isolation and the other group signals the brain’s response to having met that need during social interaction. When a mouse interacted with another mouse, the specialized neurons were prompted to release dopamine. Researchers noted that this like how eating reduces hunger, social interaction reduces loneliness.

    Although we have come far from social interaction with others through newer technologies, the Harvard study indicated that we need physical connection as well. Individuals are still feeling disconnected. What does it mean to feel connected? As the researchers saw in mice who physically touched another mouse after isolation, physical interaction may be key to restoring social interaction.

    In a 2015 TEDX Chelmsford presentation, Presenter Dan Foxx said, “As human beings, we have always been genetically driven to connect with other people. We are social animals, but we are poor at this skill. And we are “blind” to the obstacle which stands in our way, because the obstacle is US!”

    According to Foxx, first we need to obscure our ego’s needs.  Next, we need to learn a new way to love, to begin to authentically care for others first.  Then, we will begin to see changes in new and renewed relationships.

    In a concurring view, Molly Carroll, licensed therapist and published author, said during her TEDX Manhattan Beach presentation, “human connection lowers anxiety, depression, and suicide ideation, and how improving our connection with ourselves helps us better connect with others.”

    As people, we need to make deeper connections noted Carroll, adding, if we improve our connection with ourselves, we will then be able to connect better with others.

    Goldstein noted that there are three ways to foster connection:

    1. Prioritize face to face interactions. Meet in person. Studies have shown that face to face interactions help reduce stress and increase feelings of belonging.
    2. Engage in shared activities. Participate in group activities like volunteering, team sports, or hobby groups.
    3. Practice active listening and empathy. Show genuine interest in others. Make eye contact, respond thoughtfully.

    I know from experience that it can be hard to break out of loneliness. I know there are risks for putting yourself out there. I fear rejection. Be proactive. I strongly encourage you to reach out and set up at least one face-to-face meeting a week with someone you know or someone you would like to get to know better. Prioritize genuine, meaningful connections.

    Resources:

    Image retrieved on 12/20/2025 from <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/arrangement-still-life-friendship-day-elements_14311777.htm

    Carroll, Molly. “The Need for Human Connection and Why it Starts with Ourselves.” Video. TEDxManhattan Beach.    Retrieved on 11/18/2025 from The need for human connection and why it starts with ourselves | Molly Carroll | TEDxManhattanBeach

    Foxx, Dan. “The Hidden Truth about Human Connection.”  Video. TEDXChelmsford. 8/20/2015. Retrieved on 11/18/2025 from The hidden truth about human connection | Dan Foxx | TEDxChelmsford

    Goldstein, Sam. “Why We Need Each Other: Building Meaningful Relationships for a Better Life.” Psychology Today. 3/17/2025. Retrieved on 11/18/2025 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/common-sense-science/202503/why-we-need-each-other?

    Haseltin, Ph.D. William. “New Evidence That We are Wired for Connection: Connecting with others is more than something to be desired. “3/25/2025. Psychologytoday.com Retrieved on 11/18/2025 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/best-practices-in-health/202503/new-evidence-that-were-wired-for-connection?

    Wooll, Maggie. “You Know You Need Human Connection. Here’s How to Achieve it.” 11/17/2021. Retrieved on 12/20/2025 from https://www.betterup.com/blog/human-connection

  • Whether we like it or not, we have unconscious biases

    March 21, 2025

    human head with open door dark background for mental health vector

    What are unconscious biases? An unconscious bias refers to the ingrained assumptions, beliefs, and associations we hold outside of our conscious awareness. Sometimes also called implicit biases, these mental short codes inform our decision-making and interactions with those around us — without our knowledge.

    Charles Ruhl noted he term implicit bias was first coined in 1995 by psychologists Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald, who argued that social behavior is largely influenced by unconscious associations and judgments.

     A growing body of psychology research points to an uncomfortable truth about decision making.  Unconscious bias influences all of us, and even the simplest decisions we make, as noted on the Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Network website.

    Our unconscious biases are not just shaped by our personal history, but also by opinions of people we trust, plus cultural norms, wrote Jory McKay. There are various internal and external factors that creep into our decision-making equation, without our permission or awareness.

    Gender, beauty, conformity, affinity, and confirmation are some types of unconscious biases. These biases often arise from trying to find patterns and navigate the overwhelming stimuli in this complicated world. Culture, media, and upbringing can also contribute to the development of such biases.

     What is dangerous about implicit bias is that it automatically seeps into a person’s affect or behavior and is outside of the full awareness of that person. These biases are shaped by our cultural environment, upbringing, and firsthand experiences, leading us to make decisions or judgments based on assumptions without being aware of them, reported by MacKay.

    We must be concerned, cautioned MacKay, that our unconscious biases are natural.  They aren’t necessarily right or fair.

    To talk about bias, people often get uncomfortable. The most difficult people to learn about  fairness are people who value fairness the most. People who really care about being fair often can push away the idea that there is unconscious bias, commented Kimberly Papillon, Esq. Judicial Lecturer, Neuroscience and Law at Georgetown University.

    Papillon stated in a video online that what’s interesting about unconscious bias is that it doesn’t automatically make us bad people. What it does sometimes is make us do things that don’t align with our value system.

    The unconscious brain, however, is filled with information that you have stored away over your lifetime, forming unconscious biases. You can change your unconscious biases if you want to, but it will take effort, wrote Rebekah Kuschmider.

    Our implicit biases are malleable, which means you can change them, wrote Kuschmider. Since our implicit biases are created from our life experiences, but they can change as we add new and different life experiences.

    Our implicit or unconscious biases are different than our conscious thoughts, words, and actions. Our biases are inherently human according to Papillon. We react to what is unfamiliar or threatening to us.

    We can learn about ourselves once we learn about our implicit biases with help of others, we challenge ourselves to influence and change our unconsciousness. There are a few ways that I have learned about:

    • Challenge yourself to meet new people.
    • Connect with people who defy stereotypes,
    • Cultivate conscious empathy, and
    • Participate in bias training.
    • Participate in mindfulness training.

    “It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.”

    – Jonathan Swift

    Resources:

    Image by starline on Freepik. Retrieved 3/22/2025

    CLRN Team. “What is a blind spot in Psychology?”  11/18/2024. Retrieved on 3/12/2025 from https://www.clrn.org/what-is-a-blind-spot-in-psychology.

    Georgetown University’s National Center for Cultural Competence. “Two Types of Bias”:  Retrieved on 3/14/2025 from https://nccc.georgetown.edu/bias/module3/1.php#:~:text=Implicit%20or%20unconscious%20bias%20operates,full%20awareness%20of%20that%20person

    Georgetown University’s National Center for Cultural Competence. “How It Is Possible” How Well-Meaning People Act in Ways that Contradict their Values and Belief Systems.”  Retrieved on 3/14/2025 from https://nccc.georgetown.edu/bias/module-3/2.php

    “How It Is Possible” How Well-Meaning People Act in Ways that Contradict their Values and Belief Systems”. Retrieved on 3/14/2025 from https://nccc.georgetown.edu/bias/module-3/2.php.

    Kuschmider, Rebekah. “How to Unlearn Unconscious Bias.” 821/2021. Retrieved on 3/14/2025 from https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/how-to-unlearn-unconscious-bias.

    MacKay, Jory. “How to Overcome Your Unconscious”. October 2024. Retrieved on 3/14/2025 from https://plan.io/blog/unconscious-bias-examples/.

    Six Seconds (Emotional Intelligence Network). Retrieved on 3/20/2025 from https://www.6seconds.org/2018/09/04/the-science-of-unconscious-bias-what-colors-our-lenses-why-it-changes-our-decisions-and-how-to-keep-clear/

    human head with open door dark background for mental health vector

    Ruhl, Charles. “Implicit Bias (Unconscious Bias): Definition & Examples.” 8/2/2023. Retrieved on 3/20/2025 fromhttps://www.simplypsychology.org/implicit-bias.html

  • Do You Fear Failing?

    March 7, 2025

    Do you feel drained and fatigued? Do you have low energy? Are you dissatisfied with life? You may not realize it, but what you’re feeling are effects of fear on your body and mind.

    Fear is one of the most powerful forces in life, wrote Theo Tsaousides, Ph.D. Fear affects the decisions you make, the actions you take, and the outcomes you achieve. Fear also comes in different forms. If you are seeking success, the fear of failure could have the most direct impact on you.

    Dr. Diane Hamilton described fear at its core as a reluctance to delve into the unknown. Fear is defined as being overly cautious or reluctant to act to avoid consequences.  The reasons could range from the ridiculous to deadly serious. It includes fear of failure, fear of making life altering changes, fear of looking stupid or ignorant, and fear of reexperiencing something negative from childhood.

    Did you know that there is a word for the fear of failure?  It’s called “atychiphobia,” and according to the Cleveland Clinic, atychiphobiais an intense fear of failure. There are three key points about the fear of failure: it has a paralyzing effect, it involves emotional distress, and it brings procrastination.As the anxiety and anticipation of potential failure can be more debilitating than the aftermath of a mistake, it often leads to avoidance behaviors and missed opportunities to learn and grow. 

    The constant worry about failing can prevent people from taking risks, trying new things, and holding us back from achieving goals.A fear of failing can often make us feel worse than actual failure. Personal experiences with failure can cause us to develop an intense fear of failure in the future.

    Researchers have found that the fear of failure is multifaceted. According to Dr. Tsaousides, there are different types of consequences that we fear we will suffer, should we fail. Each time we experience the fear of failure, it may be for a different reason. Some of the reasons included, but not limited to, is the belief that failure is embarrassing, you don’t have what it takes to succeed, you are stuck, you will let people down, or that you are irrelevant.

    According to the Cleveland Clinic, fear of failure is self-fulfilling. Those that fear failure might put off tasks or important decisions, due to an anticipation of potential negative outcomes.

    According to Dr. Tsaousides, fear of failure is the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reaction to the negative consequences you anticipate for failing to achieve a goal.

    Behavioral scientists, psychologists, and counselors encourage us to not shy away from fear, but instead, move toward risk. From my personal experience, that is easier said than done. Fear of failure is a psychological barrier that prevents people from taking risks.

    Podcast host Paul Colaianni of “The Overwhelmed Brain” has said that the fear of failing can be imagined as so traumatic and painful to some, that they literally do nothing instead. What does failure mean for you? If you define it, you might have a better understanding what we really fear.

    Our natural inclination to fear might be to pull away and avoid facing the fear. I found this  quote from Marc Jabobs: “Curiosity is what draws you of your comfort zone; fear is what draws you back in.”

    Jacobs makes some key points: curiosity is a positive motivator and driving force. But fear is a restraint. It holds you back from venturing too far of the comfort zone. There is an internal struggle to stay safe and our desire to explore.  We need to find a balance.

    “Fear of failure keeps you safe, but small,” wrote Dr. Tsaousides.

    Psychologist Dr. Lisabeth Saunders Metlock points out that our mistakes and failures are gifts, gems, and guideposts in our learning and growth as people. Rather than shy away, we need to instead embrace failures, mistakes, screw ups and shortcomings, because they not only make us uniquely who we are, they also teach us powerful lessons.

    Dr. Metlock shared a few ways of changing our perspectives:

    • Mistakes can teach us what we really want and help us reevaluate our lives. Mistakes and failures can help us focus on issues and problems that take us off track.
    • Mistakes and failures give us a reality check. When we experience consequences of our actions, we can get a clear message of what efforts are working and what efforts are not.
    • Mistakes teach us to accept ourselves that we can be flawed and be loved. Mistakes also teach us about responsibility.
    • Admitting and facing our mistakes and failures can take us straight to the hear of our fears.

    “Taking responsibility for a failure may not be fun. But the act of doing so points out what we can do differently next time,” wrote Dr. Saunders Metlock.

    As my research continues, I have found that we cannot beat a fear, failure, or mistake until we face it. We cannot face a fear until we can define it. I have discovered that since beginning this blog writing journey curiosity has indeed become antidote to my fears and anxieties. My curiosity has grown and evolved. I noticed a level of decreased anxiety. My personal experience is that curiosity can indeed be a counterforce to my fear of failure.

    In my journey to learn and be curious, I came across a terrific interviews was from the radio show “On Being,” with host Krista Tippet and author Elizabeth Gilbert. The interview took place in September 2016. While the interview was eight years ago, the wisdom that was shared touched my heart.

    “I think curiosity is our friend that teaches us how to become ourselves, said Gilbert, “and it’s a very gentle friend, and a very forgiving friend, and a very constant one.”

    Fear can cause us to make terrible decisions about of our lives, what we see, and how we react. Life can be a risky affair. It is important to step outside of ourselves, develop a friendly curiosity of others.

    I am going to dig out my copy of Big Magic and reread it this year. From Gilbert’s book Big Magic, “Living a life is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear.” I am going to challenge myself to continue living by curiosity, and less by fear. One way that I will continue to do that is writing this blog, Curious and Creative.

    Resources:

    Image retrieved on 3/7/2025 from https://www.freepik.com/search?format=search&last_filter=page&last_value=2&page=2&query=failure&type=vector#uuid=d8abbd63-c53b-44cf-8445-ac0ea62fb19f

    Colaianni, Paul. The Overwhelmed Brain: “When the fear of failure stops you from doing anything and everything.” Episode 392. 2/21/2021. Retrieved on 2/27/2025 from in

    Retrieved on 2/27/2025 from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22555-atychiphobia-fear-of-failure

    Gilbert, Elizabeth. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Riverhead Books, NY. ©2015.

    Hamilton, Diane. “What is Fear and How Does It Affect Curiosity and Innovation?”. Retrieved on 2/27/2025 from https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/developing-curiosity/0/steps/156554

    Knight, Dr. Terralon Cannon. “Tools to Overcome Fear of Failure.” TEDxUniversity of South Africa Women.  Retrieved on 2/27/2025 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTHXa8OzzZs.

    Samit, Jay. “It’s Time to Disrupt You!” TEDx Augusta. 2017. Retrieved on 2/27/2025 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1SlbTZyaWE

    Saunders Medlock, Ph.D. Lisabeth. “Don’t Fear Failure:  Nine Powerful  Lessons We Can Learn From  Our Mistakes.” 1/4/2015. Retrieved on 2/24/2025 from Don’t Fear Failure: Nine Powerful Lessons We Can Learn From Our Mistakes | HuffPost Life

    Tippett, Krista, host. “Choosing Curiosity Over Fear”. On-Being. September 5, 2016. Daily Good. Retrieved on 2/27/2025 from https://www.dailygood.org/story/1376/choosing-curiosity-over-fear-on-being/.

    Tsaousides, Theo, Ph.D. “Why Fear of Failure Can Keep You Stuck.” Psychologytoday.com 12/27/2017. Retrieved on 2/24/2025 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/smashing-the-brainblocks/201712/why-fear-failure-can-keep-you-stuck?msockid=24f8ebd9437164501298fedc42c365fc

  • Curiosity Enhances Our Connections with Others

    2/21/2025

    Curiosity acts as a powerful catalyst. Curiosity, like other skills that power our emotional intelligence, is a practice wrote Erin Walsh. This is the kind of curiosity that connects us.

    Curiosity and wonder can also foster creativity, improve well-being, and deepen interpersonal relationships, wrote Nicole Whiting, MA. Curiosity and wonder are intertwined psychological states that enrich our mental and emotional lives and enhance engagement with the world.

    However, recent studies have shown that, as humans, we are experiencing loneliness at a higher rate. Harvard has conducted the longest in-depth study of Adult Development. It has studied adult physical and mental well-being. Harvard’s findings have shown that relationships not only make us happier, but keep us healthier too.

    In a world that is more divisive, with demands of remote work and working longer hours, people have struggled to foster feelings of belonging. Feeling of loneliness is taking a big toll on our well-being, noted Davis.

    According to Whiting, curiosity and wonder make our social interactions richer by helping us form deeper bonds. People who are curious tend to engage more meaningfully, while trying to understand others’ views.

    Davis wrote that we could decrease our loneliness and fulfill our need to belong by enhancing and increasing our curiosity.

    “When you show curiosity and you ask questions, and find out something interesting about another person, people disclose more, share more, and they return the favor, asking questions of you,” said Todd Kashdan, Ph.D., director of George Mason University’s Well-Being Lab.

    According to Kashdan, it is better to be interested in others than interesting.

    Curiosity can connect us with others noted Walsh and Kashdan. Curiosity has been found to expand our empathy, strengthen relationships, increase collaboration, and improve wellbeing.

    Davis said curiosity leads to opportunities to connect with others and find a sense of belonging. At the conclusion of a three-week course, Davis concluded that students enjoyed the training, they most look forward to connecting with each other even more during the live weekly calls. They yearned for more time to connect with one another.

    Curiosity is an initiative-taking facet of wonder according to Davis. It can spur us to learn more, propel us to become more engaged in new experiences and seek novel perspectives. Through these new experiences, we can connect with others in enriching and meaningful ways.

    It is important to encourage this kind of curiosity. However, we need to be aware of and acknowledge any personal biases and assumptions that we have could shut down our curiosity Walsh. It is also important to move towards and embrace our feelings and emotions, even painful ones. If you can feel your own sadness or grief, you may be more open to and curious about the grief of others.

    Here are a few ways to use curiosity to enhance our connections:

    • Show that you care by showing a genuine interest in others; this can help ease jitters of others.
    • Ask open-ended questions that elicit detailed responses and encourage a deeper level of conversation. This can encourage others to open. If you are not used to doing this, it will take practice. Be patient.
    • Practice active listening. Pause. Take a moment to take in their reply. Perhaps ask a follow-up question. Be genuinely interested.
    • Be willing to be vulnerable. People will respond to this and may reply by sharing their own vulnerabilities.
    • Invite people to share their personal stories. Seek out people who have different experiences than your own. Let your curiosity take the wheel.

    Showing a person that you care about is crucial to gaining their trust and interest advised Notas.

    Resources:

    Image by freepik

    Davis, Jeffrey, M.A. “Curiosity: A Surprising Key to Belonging. How Wonder can lead you toward more authentic connections.” March 20,2023. Retrieved on 2/16/2025 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tracking-wonder/202303/curiosity-a-surprising-key-to-belonging

    Kashdan, Todd.

    Notas, Nick. “Embrace Curiosity and Connect with More People.” Retrieved on 2/16/2025 from https://www.nicknotas.com/blog/embrace-curiosity-and-connect-with-more-people/

    Walsh, Erin. “The Connective Power of Curiosity: Why Getting Curious is Key to Our Person and Collective Wellbeing.” Spark & Stitch Institute. Posted 12/5/2023. Retrieved on 2/16/2025 from https://sparkandstitchinstitute.com/the-connective-power-of-curiosity/#:~:text=One%20study%20demonstrated%20that%20curious,emotional%20intelligence%2C%20is%20a%20practice.

    Whiting, Nicole, MA. “The Case for Curiosity: How a wonder-driven life enhances well-being.” May 16, 2024. Retrieved on 2/16/2025 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-limits/202404/the-case-for-curiosity#:~:text=Deepening%20Interpersonal%20Connections%2C%20Enhancing%20Well-Being%2C

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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. 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. 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.

    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.