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http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01qv33s059x| Title: | license.txt LICENSE license.txt license.txt Surprisingly, Not Impossible: A Study on the Surprisingness of Minimally Counterintuitive Concepts, Children's Relationship With Improbable and Impossible Concepts, and Curiosity |
| Authors: | Gorucu, Sera |
| Advisors: | Lombrozo, Tania |
| Department: | Psychology |
| Class Year: | 2020 |
| Abstract: | This thesis focuses on the theoretical relationship between minimally counterintuitive concepts and curiosity. In particular, it explores a stimulant for curiosity known as surprisingness and how certain categories under this umbrella, such as improbability and impossibility, may be perceived differently by children. In this paper, I will make the assertion that minimally counterintuitive (MCI) concepts may function as a significant trigger for curiosity that provides insight into the broader question of children’s ability to classify improbable concepts, and I will present a study conducted with 20 participants, aged 4 and 5 years old, that tests the hypothesis that MCI concepts trigger curiosity and encompass an optimal level of surprisingness for triggering it. Keywords: curiosity, minimally counterintuitive (MCI), improbability, impossibility, surprisingness |
| URI: | http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/dsp01qv33s059x |
| Type of Material: | Princeton University Senior Theses |
| Language: | en |
| Appears in Collections: | Psychology, 1930-2020 |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GORUCU-SERA-THESIS.pdf | 485.71 kB | Adobe PDF | Request a copy |
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