Stanford Psychology Podcast

123 - Jacqueline Gottlieb: Are You Curious About Curiosity?

Dec 7, 2023

Jacqueline Gottlieb, Professor of Neuroscience at Columbia University, discusses the ambiguity of uncertainty, challenges traditional views on decision-making, and explores the influence of personality traits on information gathering. She also delves into the role of emotions in dealing with uncertainty and highlights the importance of curiosity and exploration in artificial intelligence and understanding human behavior.

01:00:05

Episode guests

Jacqueline Gottlieb

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Curiosity is a fundamental force that drives us to explore and expand our knowledge beyond the known.

Personality traits such as stress tolerance and attitudes toward uncertainty can influence information-seeking behavior.

Deep dives

The Ambiguity Inherent in Uncertainty and the Role of Curiosity

Curiosity is the desire to know and ask questions. It is a fundamental force that drives us to expand our knowledge beyond the limited realm of the known. Our brains are aware that there is an enormous ocean of unknown things out there, and curiosity allows us to explore and extend our island of knowledge. It is a critical aspect of our behavior and brain function, yet it has been relatively neglected in psychology and neuroscience. Curiosity forces us to think about uncertainty in a different way and challenges us to venture into the unknown.

Introduction

2min

The Importance of Curiosity

18min

The Hidden Decision-Making Process

31min

The Influence of Personality Traits on Information Gathering

5min

The Role of Emotions in Dealing with Uncertainty

2min

The Importance of Curiosity and Exploration in Artificial Intelligence and Understanding Human Behavior

3min

This week, Julia chats with Jacqueline Gottlieb, Professor of Neuroscience in the Kavli Institute for Brain Science and the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Institute for Mind, Brain, and Behavior at Columbia University in New York. Since joining the Columbia Faculty in 2001, she has spearheaded pioneering research on the neural mechanisms of attention and curiosity, using computational modeling combined with behavioral and neurophysiological studies in humans and non-human primates.

In this episode, Professor Gottlieb unlocks the fundamental forces governing curiosity. She begins by explaining the ambiguity inherent in uncertainty and the balance between potential risks and rewards. Then, she reviews a recent study that suggests that we don’t always reason optimally about uncertainty. After discussing potential reasons why we might struggle with decision making surrounding uncertainty, she highlights key personality factors from the study that were associated with more successful decision making. Finally, she closes by sharing her hopes for the future of the field.

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Links:

Link to the paper we discussed

Check out more of Professor Gottlieb’s work at her lab website!

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