Latest news with #AlanCastel
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Staying curious can protect against Alzheimer's risk
A new study from the University of California Los Angeles suggests that fostering curiosity and eagerness to learn into old age can protect against Alzheimer's disease. The study found that older adults who remained eager to learn not only kept their minds active but also protected their brains against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, while a lack of curiosity could increase the risk of cognitive decline. Psychologist Alan Castel, a co-author of the study, noted that while general curiosity tends to decline with age, some older adults remain engaged and interested in learning. The study distinguished between 'trait curiosity' (a person's general level of curiosity) and 'state curiosity' (momentary curiosity about a specific topic), finding that state curiosity declines in early adulthood but increases sharply after middle age. Researchers suggest that state curiosity increases after middle age as people retire from work and indulge specific interests, indicating that maintaining curiosity can keep individuals sharp as they age.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Scientists say developing this everyday habit is key to cutting Alzheimer's risk
Fostering curiosity and being eager to learn into old age can protect against the onset of Alzheimer's disease, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles found that older adults who remained eager to learn didn't just succeed in keeping their minds active, they also protected their brains against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. The study, published in the journal PLoS One, also found that a lack of curiosity could increase the risk of cognitive decline. The findings challenge the belief that curiosity naturally declines as we get older. Scientists say that certain types of curiosity don't fade with age but actually grow. 'The psychology literature shows oftentimes what's known as trait curiosity – or a person's general level of curiosity – tends to decline with age,' psychologist Alan Castel, a co-author of the study, said. 'But we thought that was a little bit strange and went against some of the things we saw in some of the older adult participants in our experiments, who would often be very engaged and interested in learning about memory, specifically, but even other forms of trivia.' 'Trait curiosity' is a personality feature whereas 'state curiosity' is what psychologists call the kind of momentary curiosity that people experience when asked about a specific topic. Some people may not be inquisitive by nature but show a passionate thirst for knowledge about specific subjects. In the new study, scientists attempted to tease apart the two types of curiosity by recruiting a large sample of participants between the ages of 20 and 84, with an average age of 44. Participants completed an online questionnaire designed to assess their trait curiosity. They were then asked to answer hard trivia questions that most people were unlikely to already know such as, 'What was the first country to give women the right to vote?' Researchers told the participants to guess the answer, then asked them how interested they were in knowing the correct answer before revealing it to them. They found people who had more state curiosity also experienced more trait curiosity and vice versa. However, the interest ratings people gave in learning new information from trivia — a measure of state curiosity — appeared to change at different ages. State curiosity seemed to decline in early adulthood, then increase sharply after middle age, and continue upward well into old age. This may be because until middle age, people are interested in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to succeed at school and jobs, pay mortgages, and raise families, tasks for which a fairly high level of overall curiosity is needed. But as they gather this knowledge with age, they don't need to allocate as many resources to trait curiosity. Then, as they begin to retire from work, they tend to indulge specific interests and their state curiosity increases. 'Our findings fit with some of my work on selectivity theory, which is that as we get older, we do not want to stop learning, we're just more selective about what we want to learn,' Dr Castel said. 'I think it shows that this level of curiosity, if maintained, can really keep us sharp as we age.'
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Older people with this trait may be lowering their risk of dementia: study
Let's get quizzical! More than 6 million Americans have dementia, which affects memory, language and problem-solving skills. Several lifestyle changes can lower dementia risk, including a healthy diet, exercise, social interaction, blood pressure management and adequate sleep. 4 More than 6 million Americans have dementia, which affects memory, language and problem-solving skills. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS – Now, a new study suggests that a curious mind may actually help reduce dementia risk, too. 'A lot of older adults will go back to take classes or pick up hobbies or engage in bird watching,' UCLA psychologist and senior study author Alan Castel said. 'I think it shows that this level of curiosity, if maintained, can really keep us sharp as we age.' Castel and his colleagues wanted to explore the effect of age on two types of curiosity — trait and state curiosity. State curiosity is a momentary desire to learn something new when a topic grabs your attention. Trait curiosity, meanwhile, is a lifelong passion for learning and trying new experiences. The study authors had 1,200 adults between 20 and 84, with an average age of 44, complete an online questionnaire assessing their curiosity. Each volunteer was asked 63 questions and given 20 seconds for every answer. Participants also rated their curiosity to learn the answer and their confidence that they had the right answer. 4 A new study suggests that a curious mind may actually help reduce dementia risk. anatoliycherkas – Sample questions included: 'What is added to white sugar to make brown sugar?' Answer: molasses 'What is the name of the biggest constellation in the sky?' Answer: Hydra The researchers found that participants' interest in learning new information from trivia — a measure of state curiosity — declined in early adulthood, spiked after middle age and continued upward into old age. 4 Research has suggested that brain-challenging activities like puzzles and games may help lower the risk of dementia by helping to maintain cognitive function. pressmaster – The study explained that young adults acquire the knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to succeed at school, work and home. Paying the mortgage and raising a family tend to be the focus in middle age, which is when many people report being less happy. But once their children leave the nest and they retire, seniors can indulge in certain interests and their state curiosity increases. 4 Panel A shows the relationship between chronological age and scores on the trait curiosity scale. Panel B shows the relationship between chronological age and average curiosity ratings in the trivia paradigm, with the dashed line representing the linear relationship and the solid line representing the quadratic relationship. Panel C shows the relationship between average curiosity ratings from the trivia task and trait curiosity scores. 'Our findings fit with some of my work on selectivity theory, which is that as we get older, we don't want to stop learning, we're just more selective about what we want to learn,' Castel said. Castel also noted that those with more state curiosity tend to have more trait curiosity and vice versa. The findings were published this week in the journal PLOS One. Other research has suggested that brain-challenging activities like puzzles and games may help lower the risk of dementia by helping to maintain cognitive function. 'Anecdotally, a lot of older adults I speak to say that it's important to stay curious,' Castel said. 'That fits with some of the research that shows that people who have early stages of dementia might show disinterest in things that they once enjoyed.'
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
New UCLA Study On Improving Curiosity: What It Misses For Workplace Growth
New UCLA Study On Improving Curiosity: What It Misses For Workplace Growth A recent UCLA study has sparked interest by revealing that curiosity can increase as people age. The Times and other outlets have shared these findings with headlines like 'Old Dogs Really Can Learn New Tricks,' celebrating the idea that older adults may experience a renewed sense of curiosity later in life. That sounds like good news, but it also raises an important question: what kind of curiosity are we talking about, and does it actually help in the workplace? The study distinguishes between state curiosity and trait curiosity. State curiosity is that momentary flash of interest when someone hears about a new idea, reads an eye-catching article, or sees a documentary and wants to know more. Trait curiosity is different. It's the deep, sustained drive that leads people to ask better questions, challenge assumptions, and seek out growth over time. While the study suggests that state curiosity can increase with age, the author, psychologist Alan Castel, also noted that trait curiosity did not show the same improvement. He explained that while trait curiosity remains relatively stable or may even decline, a rise in state curiosity could serve as a pathway to rebuilding it over time. That distinction is critical for organizations trying to fuel innovation and performance. In the workplace, it's not enough to occasionally be curious. Lasting curiosity is what leads people to solve complex problems, improve processes, and collaborate more effectively. That kind of curiosity doesn't just happen. It has to be supported. Why State Curiosity Alone Is Not Enough for Growth The spike in curiosity described in the UCLA study focuses on situational curiosity, the kind sparked by personal interests or random encounters with something new. While this is encouraging, it isn't the type of curiosity that consistently improves performance or engagement at work. The kind that does is trait curiosity, and that's much harder to cultivate. The danger in promoting state curiosity as the full solution is that it gives organizations a false sense of progress. If employees are showing interest in one-off learning moments or surface-level exploration, it may look like curiosity is thriving. But if they aren't following through, challenging norms, or applying that interest to real work, the benefits are short-lived. How Trait Curiosity Drives Real Workplace Impact Trait curiosity is tied to long-term cognitive resilience and behavioral adaptability. It's what keeps people asking questions even when things are working 'well enough.' It fuels continuous improvement. It encourages people to speak up when they see risks, explore alternatives when resources are limited, and keep learning even after formal training ends. That kind of sustained curiosity is what leads to bottom-line results. In recent research studying executives across multiple industries, 80% of small to midsize companies reported saving over $100,000 annually due to increased innovation, communication, and efficiency tied to curiosity-based initiatives. Larger companies saw that number exceed $1 million. These weren't major transformations led by consultants or billion-dollar tech. They were the result of people consistently asking better questions. What Stops Curiosity From Taking Hold in the Workplace One reason trait curiosity doesn't flourish is that it's often shut down, sometimes unintentionally. My research found that there are four key factors that inhibit curiosity at work: fear, assumptions, technology, and environment. Fear can show up in the form of hesitation. Employees may avoid asking questions because they don't want to appear uninformed. Assumptions lead people to think they already know what will happen if they try something new. Technology can be a barrier when people rely on shortcuts or avoid learning more robust tools. Environment plays a role when leaders discourage experimentation or reward predictability over insight. These four barriers, what I call the FATE factors, don't just appear out of nowhere. They build up over time. And unless they're addressed directly, they will smother even the most promising curiosity spike. How Organizations Can Turn Curiosity Into Long-Term Growth The solution is to build the kind of culture where trait curiosity can grow. That starts by removing fear of failure, questioning outdated assumptions, using technology as a tool instead of a crutch, and creating an environment that encourages exploration without punishment. Give employees the chance to explore projects that matter to them. Encourage them to ask 'why' and 'what if' in meetings without worrying about judgment. Provide opportunities for self-directed learning that align with their actual interests, not just compliance. And measure curiosity over time to see whether engagement, communication, and innovation are improving. Why This Study On Curiosity Still Matters And Where It Falls Short The UCLA study is a helpful reminder that curiosity doesn't disappear with age. If anything, it can be reignited. But reigniting something and keeping it lit are two different things. Just because someone finds a new topic interesting doesn't mean they'll take the next step without support. For curiosity to create lasting change, it has to move beyond a passing interest and become a way of thinking. That means changing behavior, removing barriers, and tracking progress. None of that happens passively. The Bottom Line On Curiosity And Aging At Work This new research is a good start, but it doesn't address what organizations actually need. A moment of interest doesn't lead to mastery. A spike in curiosity doesn't guarantee innovation. What matters is whether that interest becomes a habit, a mindset, and eventually a driver of business results. Leaders looking to create real change should not settle for temporary sparks. They need to invest in the structures and support that allow curiosity to thrive long term. Because when trait curiosity becomes part of the culture, everything from performance to retention to employee satisfaction improves, and those are the outcomes that matter most.
Times
07-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Old dogs really can learn new tricks: how curiosity rises with age
Contrary to the weary adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, a study has found that as we grow older we actually become keener to learn. The research suggests that as people age not only do they retain a capacity for curiosity, they actually grow more ravenous for knowledge, as long as they find it meaningful. Moreover, the psychologists behind the findings believe that feeding this appetite for learning — whether through reading, listening to podcasts and lectures, or taking up new hobbies — is likely to boost brain health. 'Our results show that curiosity doesn't just survive into old age — it can thrive,' said Alan Castel of the University of California Los Angeles, senior author of a paper published in
