Mary Whatley

Matthias Gruber is a researcher at Cardiff University specializing in the neuroscience of curiosity, while Mary Whatley is an assistant professor at Western Carolina University focusing on age-related changes in curiosity. They discuss how curiosity evolves with age, revealing that it becomes more focused rather than diminishing. Curiosity activates brain circuits linked to memory retention and learning, and maintaining it in older age can safeguard cognitive health. However, they caution about the potential risks of curiosity, including vulnerability to misinformation.

In this engaging discussion, Mary Whatley, an assistant professor of psychology at Western Carolina University, dives into the intriguing relationship between curiosity and aging. She explores how state curiosity can actually rise with age, presenting a surprising U-shape trend. Hear her insights on the balance of trait versus state curiosity, the motivational aspects of learning, and practical ways to enhance curiosity for well-being. Reflective practices, social learning, and even playful analogies make her research both enlightening and relatable.