Curiosity

Previous studies generally showed that achievement goals are linked with academic engagement. However, the association between the newly-developed model of achievement goals (i.e. the 3*2 model) and agentic engagement has received relatively little attention. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism of this relationship is unclear, more specifically, among university students. Guided by the assumptions of the control-value theory of emotions, epistemic curiosity could be a potential mediator. The current study aimed to explore the mediating role of epistemic curiosity in the relationship between achievement goals and agentic engagement among 350 university students from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the academic year of 2019-2020. Participants completed the measures of the Achievement Goals Questionnaire, Epistemic Curiosity Scale, and Agentic Engagement Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 24.0 and AMOS software. The findings showed that epistemic curiosity significantly mediated the association between approach goals and avoidance goals with agentic engagement (P<0.001). Overall, the findings offer new evidence on the association between variables of the present study and shed light on the underlying processes. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between curiosity, social support, and emotion regulation in individuals with specific learning disorders (SLD). The objective was to determine how social support and emotion regulation predict levels of curiosity in this population, providing insights for effective interventions. The study employed a cross-sectional design with a sample size of 252 participants, selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie table. Data were collected using the Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II (CEI-II) for curiosity, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) for social support, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) for emotion regulation. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS-27 to examine the relationships between the variables. Descriptive statistics indicated moderate levels of curiosity, social support, and emotion regulation among participants. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between curiosity and both social support (r = 0.52, p < 0.001) and emotion regulation (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that social support and emotion regulation collectively accounted for 37% of the variance in curiosity (R² = 0.37, F(2, 249) = 72.19, p < 0.001). Both social support (B = 0.32, p < 0.001) and emotion regulation (B = 0.25, p < 0.001) emerged as significant predictors of curiosity. The findings highlight the significant roles of social support and emotion regulation in fostering curiosity among individuals with SLD. Supportive social environments and effective emotion regulation strategies are critical for promoting curiosity and engagement. These insights can inform the development of targeted interventions aimed at enhancing the well-being and academic success of individuals with SLD.