The Cost of Curiosity: Information-Reward Tradeoffs in Early Childhood

Abstract

Curiosity is a powerful engine of learning that shapes how people explore, acquire knowledge, and adapt to their environments. Though the implications of curiosity are clear, we know little about what drives curiosity. One widely-held view is that satisfying curiosity is intrinsically rewarding. Yet there is limited direct evidence supporting this claim, particularly during early childhood-a period characterized by heightened curiosity. Here, we provide an empirical test of whether satisfying curiosity is intrinsically valuable to children by asking whether they will forego hard-earned rewards to obtain information. To examine the limits of costly curiosity, we ask whether children will give up hard-earned rewards to learn something new, even when the information to be gained is unknown and offers no immediate or long-term benefit. Critically, we test what factors (i.e., age, gender, cultural background, trait curiosity, reward availability) shape children's willingness to engage in costly curiosity. In a sample of 226 children aged 3-6 years in the United States and Turkey, nearly all children (87%) gave up rewards to obtain information. However, costly curiosity was limited, most children gave up only a few rewards (i.e., the smallest amount possible), and the extent of trading varied by gender and culture: boys traded more than girls and children in the United States traded more than in Turkey. These findings provide evidence that children's curiosity is not driven by sheer impulse, but instead, a decision-making process that weighs both costs and benefits, and is shaped by broader individual and cultural factors.