Curiosity: How You Think Makes All the Difference

Curiosity isn’t just for kids. Knowing how to identify three distinct thinking styles can keep you sharp and adaptable.

Anna Kraynova/Shutterstock

Where are you going? And in going, are you aware? Join neuropsychologist Robert Backer, PhD, as he explores the intersections of mind-body health, psychological phenomena, and cultural trends.

“Why is a raven like a writing desk?”

At first glance, this riddle from “Alice in Wonderland” may seem nonsensical—because it’s meant to be. But when coaching clients to boost their creative muscles, I’ve often used this line as a challenge: “How can they be related? Give me ten ways.”

Sadistic? Hardly. In reality, curiosity and divergent thinking are powerful tools for unlocking creativity. What’s more, recent research suggests that how we exercise curiosity varies between individuals.

Discover Your Curiosity Style: Hunter, Busybody, or Dancer? 

A 2024 study published in Science Advances analyzed the browsing habits of nearly half a million Wikipedia users across 50 countries and identified three distinct curiosity styles:

• Hunter: Focuses on finding a specific answer from a narrow pool of information. Structured, efficient, and goal-oriented, though sometimes overlooks alternatives.
• Busybody: Explores possibilities widely, sampling bits of information across many topics. Flexible, but sometimes scattered.
• Dancer: Leaps between fields, making unexpected connections. Innovative but unconventional.

Think about the last time you browsed a bookstore or researched a topic online. Were you laser-focused (Hunter), jumping from one thing to another (Busybody), or connecting seemingly unrelated subjects (Dancer)?

We all embody different styles at times but recognizing which mode we default to can help us strategically switch approaches for greater creativity and problem-solving, as each style possesses its pros and cons.

Leveraging Curiosity for Creativity and Success

The right approach at the right time can make you a better learner, problem solver, or creative thinker.

Hunters

Being the hunter involves what psychologists call “convergent thinking”—narrowing from broad to specific. In business research, convergent thinking requires identifying a specific problem to solve—such as increasing assembly line output—then drilling down on what key variables contribute to that process. If your goal is to develop expertise, efficiently solve problems, or master a skill, the hunter may be the best mindset to adopt.

• Good for: efficiency and mastery
• Poor for: mental flexibility and resilience, potentially leading to increased rigidity and burnout

Busybodies

“Divergent thinking” is flipping the convergent funnel upside down and, instead, generating many possibilities from a single point. Expertise is important, but it can only take us so far. Sometimes pursuing new information is necessary in order to improve performance in challenging situations. For instance, even Harvard Medical School—which places a premium on quick decisions and routine protocols—found that training physicians to think broadly first, when possible, improved diagnoses by as much as 38 percent.

• Good for: complex problem-solving, adaptive learning, getting “unstuck”
• Poor for: high-stakes decision-making, peak athletic performance, time-critical operations

Dancers

While the hunter and busybody have been recognized before, the recent Science Advances study calls attention to the dancer. There are many benefits to the dancer’s broad leaps across fields. Humans who innovate seem to be happiest. Psychology has long maintained that, once our basic needs are taken care of, we derive deep fulfillment from creative development and breakthroughs. Moreover, as pressures mount, resilient individuals thrive by redefining rules and discovering innovative solutions to persistent challenges.

Getting stuck in a narrow rut keeps us cycling through ineffective thinking patterns. Deliberately shifting to new, unfamiliar perspectives helps us notice overlooked aspects of problems that lead to innovative solutions. For many who haven’t practiced this style already, adopting it may take some adjustment. Like dance itself, learning new moves can be awkward at first but it improves with practice.

• Good for: inspiration, personal growth, invention
• Poor for: short-term, practical needs

So, what’s the best approach? Intentional curiosity. By shifting between styles as needed, you can balance deep expertise with broad exploration, maximizing both efficiency and inspiration.

While intentional curiosity helps us explore new ideas and possibilities, it’s important to know when to shift gears. Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky discuss the difference between “getting it right” and “getting it done” in Kahneman’s book “Thinking Fast and Slow.” Sometimes, we may want to cast a wide net, consider information broadly, and widen possibilities. Other times, when it’s important to converge on a specific solution to a problem, too much wandering may be a source of frustration.

However, the balance isn’t just a psychological concept—it’s also part of how our brains are wired. Neuroscience proposes that curiosity partially enhances thinking and learning by making it more engaging, increasing anticipation of a reward, and improving self-control. This concept tracks with a neurochemical called norepinephrine, which is involved in alertness, arousal, and attention. Imagine how a cat looks just before it’s about to spring on its prey—we, too, become locked on a good target.

Applying Curiosity for a More Fulfilling Life

Curiosity makes life more interesting—it also helps rewire your brain. When you explore new ideas or experiences, your brain tends to release more dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical. The resulting boost makes learning more enjoyable, broadens your field of vision, and helps your brain recognize patterns more easily. In other words, curiosity fuels creativity, allowing you to connect the dots in ways you never imagined.

Given the many benefits of curiosity, you may be wondering how you can harness this power to enhance well-being. To make the most of your natural curiosity, follow these four R’s:

1. Recognize your goal: Should you be in Hunter, Busybody, or Dancer mode? Identifying your approach helps you leverage its strengths or switch styles when needed.

2. Regulate your mindset: Structure your environment to support your goal:

• Hunters should define a clear question or task, break it into steps, and stay focused by setting time limits or sidelining irrelevant leads. For example, if you’re learning a new app on your phone, focus on the most important function first—why you downloaded the app to begin with—rather than exploring everything.

Ask yourself, “What’s the next most important step?” The path isn’t always linear, but prioritizing moment-to-moment is key. Stay focused—set a timer, set aside distractions for later, and structure your environment to minimize them. Keep your eyes on the prize!

• Busybodies can encourage mind-wandering by engaging with a variety of materials and allowing unexpected ideas to surface. Or, challenge yourself to pick an object and brainstorm as many uses for it as possible without stopping.

Surround yourself with diverse materials to increase the ease of associational thinking—follow ideas as they connect, then reflect later. Physical movement or non-directed meditation—sitting still and observing thoughts for five to 10 minutes—can also help.

• Dancers benefit from shifting perspectives—try blending different interests, exploring new environments, or talking with people outside your usual circles. Dancing may feel hard for some at first, as the brain often resists breaking familiar habits, but with practice, it can become natural and greatly enhance mastery and resilience to burnout.

3. Reframe problems to open new doors: Ask questions like: “What else could this be used for?” or “How would a completely different person approach this?” Suspend judgment and follow curiosity without worrying about being “right.”

Prompts often help when we feel stuck or not particularly “creative.” A good prompt can be especially useful first thing in your day when you are fresh and unencumbered. Complete a challenge, like taking a different route to work and noticing three things you’ve never seen before. Peer beyond the surface—learn and explain something challenging to another person. Try a new “dance move”—listen to a music genre you normally avoid while working.

4. Reinforce creative habits: Keep a simple curiosity journal. Write down new ideas, connections, or patterns you notice. Create a “curiosity portfolio”—intentionally balancing your time between hunting for answers, exploring widely, and making creative leaps.

Embrace Your Inner Explorer

I recall hearing of European sailors struggling to cross the Atlantic until they discovered the benefits of riding currents. This seems an apt metaphor for sailing with your natural rhythms rather than fighting them.

By recognizing and adapting your curiosity style, you can harness natural rhythms rather than forcing rigid habits. Whether you need to narrow your focus, expand possibilities, or take an unexpected leap, your greatest creative breakthroughs may come from shifting your approach.

So why is a raven like a writing desk? The answer might depend on how you choose to think.