Curiosity as filling, compressing, and reconfiguring knowledge networks

Author:

Patankar Shubhankar P1ORCID,Zhou Dale2,Lynn Christopher W34,Kim Jason Z1,Ouellet Mathieu5,Ju Harang2ORCID,Zurn Perry6,Lydon-Staley David M178,Bassett Dani S1591011

Affiliation:

1. Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

2. Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

3. Initiative for the Theoretical Sciences, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA

4. Joseph Henry Laboratories of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA

5. Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

6. Department of Philosophy, American University, Washington, DC, USA

7. Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

8. Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

9. Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

10. Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

11. Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Abstract

Theoretical constructs, such as the information gap theory and compression progress theory, seek to explain how humans practice curiosity. According to the former, curiosity is the drive to acquire information missing from our understanding of the world. According to the latter, curiosity is the drive to construct parsimonious mental world models. To complement the densification and simplification processes inherent to these frameworks, we propose the conformational change theory, wherein we posit that curiosity builds mental models with marked conceptual flexibility. We formalize curiosity as a knowledge-network-building process to investigate each theoretical account for individuals and collectives. In knowledge networks, gaps can be identified as topological cavities, compression progress can be quantified using network compressibility, and flexibility can be measured as the number of conformational degrees of freedom. We find that curiosity fills gaps and constructs increasingly compressible and flexible knowledge networks. Across individuals and collectives, we determine the contexts in which each account is explanatory, clarifying their complementary and distinct contributions. Our findings offer a novel networks-based perspective that harmonizes with (and compels an expansion of) the traditional taxonomy of curiosity.

Funder

Center for Curiosity

Army Research Office

National Institute of Mental Health

Publisher

SAGE Publications

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