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Abstract
People find it easier to learn about topics that interest them, but little is known
about the mechanisms by which intrinsic motivational states affect learning. We used
functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how curiosity (intrinsic motivation
to learn) influences memory. In both immediate and one-day-delayed memory tests, participants
showed improved memory for information that they were curious about and for incidental
material learned during states of high curiosity. Functional magnetic resonance imaging
results revealed that activity in the midbrain and the nucleus accumbens was enhanced
during states of high curiosity. Importantly, individual variability in curiosity-driven
memory benefits for incidental material was supported by anticipatory activity in
the midbrain and hippocampus and by functional connectivity between these regions.
These findings suggest a link between the mechanisms supporting extrinsic reward motivation
and intrinsic curiosity and highlight the importance of stimulating curiosity to create
more effective learning experiences.