ORCID
- Shaun Dordoy: 0000-0001-6960-015X
- Alastair Smith: 0000-0002-7335-4083
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Early learning takes place within complex, multimodal environments where curiosity plays a critical role in guiding exploratory behaviors and supporting cognitive development. While trait curiosity shapes children’s early learning experiences, state curiosity is context-dependent fostering early learning, in-part, through information seeking behaviors. Here, we explore whether state-induced curiosity can influence exploratory behaviors and facilitate word learningwithin a multimodal search task that mirrors real-world learning environments.Children (2.5- to 4-year-olds) will be introduced to novel objects and labels via a storybook. After exposure to each novel object, participants will locate the target object (i.e., a sticker depicting the novel object), hidden within one of ten boxes uniformly distributed across a real world space. Unbeknownst to participants, the target will only be hidden within a single hemispace. In the "High-Curiosity" condition, the storybook should elicit greater curiosity, whereas the “Low-Curiosity” condition will present novel words in a context that should invokelower levels of curiosity. Following the search task, participants will complete a forced-choice word learning task. Findings will provide insights into whether and how curiosity facilitates word learning in rich, multimodal contexts and how this relationship can be impacted by children’s explorative strategies, including their sensitivity to environmental statistics.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2026-01-01
Publication Title
Developmental Science
Volume
29
Issue
4
ISSN
1363-755X
Acceptance Date
2026-04-28
Deposit Date
2026-05-11
Funding
S.D. and A.C. were supported by a PhD scholarship awarded by the School of Psychology, University of Plymouth.
Additional Links
Keywords
Curiosity, Word-learning, Real-world search, Exploration, State curiosity, Naturalistic learning
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Caunt, A., Dordoy, S., Abu-Zhaya, R., & Smith, A. (2026) 'Navigating knowledge: Effects of state curiosity on children's word learning and information seeking [Registered Report]: Effects of State Curiosity on Children's Word Learning and Information Seeking', Developmental Science, 29(4). Available at: 10.1111/desc.70226
