Curiosity Across the Adult Lifespan: Age-Related Differences in State and Trait Curiosity

Maintaining curiosity in older age may be a key predictor of successful aging, but some prior research shows that curiosity declines with age. However, some evidence suggests that state curiosity – a situational feeling of curiosity in response to information – may increase with age. Prior work has largely not adequately differentiated state and trait curiosity when examining its relationship with age. In a large lifespan sample (N = 1,218), we assess trait curiosity and state curiosity (using a trivia rating task) to examine the relationship between each construct and age. The results show that, in line with prior work, trait curiosity shows a negative relationship with age, but state curiosity shows a positive relationship with age, while controlling for demographic variables. The results suggest that curiosity may have a more complex relationship with age than previously considered, which can have implications for engagement in cognitive activities in everyday life.