Research
Investigating Risky Decision-Making with Curiosity and Outcome Expectations in a Simulated Experience
Authors:
Shelby Messerschmitt-Coen
Abstract
Researchers have established an association between curiosity and decision-making, in that curiosity can influence subsequent cognitions and actions either positively or negatively. The authors developed the present study to better understand how various facets of curiosity can predict decision-making. Additionally, we were interested in how decision-making could predict one’s outcome expectations (i.e., expectation of escape versus capture in a simulated experience). As experts have understood curiosity to be understood in multiple facets (Litman, 2008; Lindgren et al., 2010), the initial hypothesis of the present study was to determine which facet of curiosity (e.g., diversive, intolerance, competency, problem-solving) was most appropriate in understanding its effects on risky decision-making. Additionally, the authors hypothesized that participants inclined to make more risk-taking decisions would be more likely to anticipate their escape from the simulation rather than their capture. Results found that people with high diversive curiosity made more risk-averse choices. Additionally, results suggest that participants with higher risk-taking decisions were significantly more likely to predict their escape rather than capture in a simulated experience. The authors provide implications for future research.
How to Cite:
Danielson, R. and Messerschmitt-Coen, S., 2023. Investigating Risky Decision-Making with Curiosity and Outcome Expectations in a Simulated Experience. International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities, 15(1), pp.1–12. DOI: http://doi.org/10.7710/2168-0620.0400
Published on
13 Apr 2023.
Peer Reviewed
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