How To Build Curiosity At Work That Has Been Compressed Or Inhibited

Many people assume curiosity fades as we get older. Todd Kashdan, a leading curiosity researcher, recently voiced his frustration on LinkedIn about this. He pointed out that multiple large-scale studies show curiosity does not vanish between childhood and adulthood. He said adults “compress curiosity” rather than lose it. He contrasted this with children, who “externalize” their curiosity in rapid-fire questions. In adults, curiosity doesn’t disappear; it shifts into an internal form, where people may appear quiet but are actively processing, modeling, and wondering in their heads. In my own research, I found curiosity changes as it becomes inhibited by the cultures we grow up in and the environments we work in. The World Economic Forum has listed curiosity as one of the most important skills for the future of work. It fuels innovation, drives adaptability, and keeps organizations competitive. But to use curiosity effectively, we need to understand what it really is, how it changes across a lifetime, and why so many people feel their curiosity is stifled at work.

What Do Psychologists Mean By Curiosity?

Researchers often describe curiosity in terms of trait curiosity and state curiosity. Trait curiosity is your general tendency to be interested in learning and exploring. Some people naturally ask more questions, wonder about more things, and seek novelty in their daily lives. Trait curiosity is relatively stable, though it can be strengthened or weakened by experience. State curiosity is the momentary spark of interest when something captures your attention. Imagine seeing an unusual painting, overhearing a surprising comment, or being handed a puzzle you want to solve. That immediate urge to know more is state curiosity. You need both. Trait curiosity provides the foundation, the ongoing appetite for learning. State curiosity is what turns that appetite into action in a given moment.

Does Curiosity Decline With Age?

When people think of curiosity, they often picture a young child asking endless questions. Susan Engel and others have documented that children can ask dozens per hour during peak developmental stages. This explosion of outward curiosity has led many to assume it must fade as we grow up. George Land’s famous creativity test adds fuel to that belief. Land found that 98 percent of 5-year-olds scored at the genius level of creativity, but by adulthood only 2 percent did. Curiosity and creativity have a lot in common. Both rely on divergent thinking, which is the ability to come up with lots of different ideas before narrowing them down. Land explained this with a simple analogy: divergent thinking is like pressing the gas pedal to accelerate new ideas, while convergent thinking is like pressing the brake to judge or narrow them. When schools teach children to press both at once, they come up with ideas only to immediately shut them down. That same pattern can suppress curiosity.

Some studies show curiosity follows a different trajectory than creativity. A longitudinal study in the United States by Giambra in 1992 tracked more than 1,800 people over six to eight years and found that while sensation-seeking declined with age, curiosity itself stayed stable for many. A massive Swedish study of over one million people found that curiosity tends to rise into middle age before tapering in later years. This is what Todd Kashdan described as compression, and I describe it as inhibition.

Why Does Curiosity Feel Inhibited At Work?

If curiosity is still alive in adults, why do so many people feel like they have lost it? My research found that curiosity is not absent, but it is inhibited by four main factors, summarized in the FATE model: Fear, Assumptions, Technology, and Environment.

Fear. As people age, they learn that asking a “dumb” question can trigger laughter or criticism. At work, the same fear persists. Employees avoid speaking up because they worry about wasting time, slowing down the team, or appearing unprepared.

Assumptions. Over time, people convince themselves they already know the answers. At work, people make assumptions such as “management will never listen” or “this problem has already been solved.” These assumptions shut down inquiry before it starts.

Technology. While technology opens doors to information, it can also inhibit curiosity. If every answer is one click away, the deeper questions about meaning, implications, or long-term consequences are often left unexplored. At work, people rely heavily on systems and automation, which can discourage them from questioning processes because the technology feels authoritative.

Environment. Another powerful inhibitor is culture. In organizations, managers need to create a culture where employees feel confident to ask questions or provide answers. Corporate structures can send a powerful signal that curiosity is not welcomed.

This is why inhibition matters so much. It is not that people lose curiosity, but that they learn to silence it.

How Can Curiosity Be Strengthened At Work?

The good news is that curiosity can be strengthened, much like a muscle. Research in neuroscience and psychology shows that asking questions, exploring ideas, and testing perspectives creates positive reinforcement in the brain. When people are encouraged to exercise curiosity, it becomes more natural and powerful over time.

Leaders can help by:
• Normalizing curiosity by openly asking their own questions so employees feel safer to do the same
• Challenging assumptions by encouraging employees to check whether their conclusions are based on facts or just habits of thought
• Balancing technology by using it to broaden access to information but still making space for human exploration and discussion
• Shaping the environment by rewarding thoughtful questions, making time for exploration, and showing that curiosity is valued in performance reviews and promotions

What Is The Bigger Picture Of Curiosity?

Curiosity is a lifelong capacity that shifts, compresses, and sometimes gets inhibited under the weight of fear, assumptions, technology, and environment. The challenge is whether leaders recognize the value of it, nurture it, and allow it to flourish. When curiosity thrives, organizations innovate faster, solve problems more creatively, and build cultures where people feel engaged and valued. When it gets inhibited, potential is lost. When leaders create the right conditions, they will see that curiosity has been there all along, waiting to be expressed. When leaders remove the barriers to curiosity, they unleash ideas that directly impact innovation, retention, and business results.