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A 2005 report in the journal Health Psychology described a two-year study involving more than 1,000 patients that found higher levels of curiosity were also associated
with a decreased likelihood of developing hypertension and diabetes. While correlation does not imply causation, these relationships suggest that curiosity may have a
variety of positive connections with health that deserve further study.
2. Intelligence
Studies have shown that curiosity positively correlates with intelligence. In one study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2002, researchers
correctly predicted that high novelty-seeking (or highly curious) toddlers would have higher IQs as older children than toddlers with lower levels of curiosity.
Researchers measured the degree of novelty-seeking behavior in 1,795 3-year-olds and then measured their cognitive ability at age 11. As predicted, the 11-year-olds
who had been highly curious 3-year-olds later scored 12 points higher on total IQ compared with low stimulation seekers. They also had superior scholastic and reading
ability.
Other studies have shown that high levels of curiosity in adults are connected to greater analytic ability, problem-solving skills and overall intelligence. All of which
suggests that cultivating more curiosity in your daily life is likely to make you smarter.
3. Social Relationships
It is far easier to form and maintain satisfying, significant relationships when you demonstrate an attitude of openness and genuine interest. One of the top reasons
why couples seek counseling or therapy is because theyve become bored with each other. This often sparks resentment, hostility, communication breakdowns and a
lack of interest in spending time together (only adding to the initial problem). Curious people report more satisfying relationships and marriages. Happy couples
describe their partners as interested and responsive.
Curious people are inclined to act in ways that allow relationships to develop more easily. In one of my studies, participants spent five minutes getting acquainted with
a stranger of the opposite sex, and each person made judgments about his or her partners personality. We also interviewed their closest friends and parents to gain
added insight into the qualities that curious people bring to relationships. Each of these groups acquaintances of a mere five minutes, close friends and parents
characterized curious people as highly enthusiastic and energetic, talkative, interesting in what they say and do, displaying a wide range of interests, confident,
humorous, less likely to express insecurities, and lacking in timidity and anxiety compared with less curious people.
Curious people ask questions and take an interest in learning about partners, and they intentionally try to keep interactions interesting anaging d playful. This approach
supports the development of good relationships.
4. Happiness
The Gallup organization recently reported the results of a survey conducted with more than 130,000 people from some 130 nations, a sample designed to represent 96
percent of the worlds population. The poll identified two factors that had the strongest influence on how much enjoyment a person experienced in a given day: being
able to count on someone for help and learned something yesterday.
What this poll confirms is that developing good relationships with other people (see above) and growing as a person are foundational components of a happy life.
Both factors are supported by curiosity.
In fact, in one of the largest undertakings in the field of psychology, two pioneers in the field of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, PhD, and Chris Peterson, PhD,
devised a scientific classification of the basic human strengths. This system was the end result of reading the works of ancient philosophers, religious texts and
contemporary literature, then identifying patterns, and finally subjecting these ideas to rigorous scientific tests. Their research eventually recognized 24 basic
strengths. And, of those 24 strengths that human beings can possess, curiosity was one of the five most highly associated with overall life fulfillment and happiness.
There are other important relationships between curiosity and happiness. In his book Stumbling on Happiness (http://astore.amazon.com/experilifemag-20) (Knopf,
2006), Harvard University psychology professor Daniel Gilbert, PhD, shows that, while we think we know what will make us happy in the future, we are actually less
likely to find joy as a result of a planned pursuit than by simply stumbling upon it. It follows that by cultivating curiosity and remaining open to new experiences, we
increase our likelihood of encountering those surprising and satisfying activities.
5. Meaning
If we are going to find a meaningful purpose or calling in life, chances are good we will find it in something that unleashes our natural curiosity and fascination. Indeed,
curiosity is the entry point to many of lifes greatest sources of meaning and satisfaction: our interests, hobbies and passions.
While being passionate about something naturally renders you curious to know as much as you can about it, it also works the other way around: The more curiosity you
can muster for something, the more likely you are to notice and learn about it, and thus the more interesting and meaningful it will become for you over time.
This is true of people, books, sports, skills and conversations. Often, the more curiosity and energy we invest in exploring and understanding them, the more compelling
they become.
This has important implications for how much meaning and passion we experience in life: The greater the range and depth of our curiosity, the more opportunities we
have to experience things that inspire and excite us, from minute details to momentous occasions.
TUNE IN TO YOUR CURIOSITY
One of the best ways to better appreciate the power of curiosity is to start exercising it more consciously in your daily experiences. By doing so, you can transform
routine tasks, enlivening them with new energy. You will also likely begin to notice more situations that have the potential to engage you, giving your curiosity even
more opportunities
to flourish.
MORE FROM EL
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ERIN PETERSON (HTTPS://EXPERIENCELIFE.COM/AUTHOR/ERIN-PETERSON/) January-February 2008 (/issues/january-february-2008)
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