# A rational analysis of curiosity

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.04351 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1705.04351/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 11 May 2017.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Curious Exploration via Structured World Models Yields Zero-Shot Object Manipulation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2206.11403/) (2022)
- [SENSEI: Semantic Exploration Guided by Foundation Models to Learn Versatile World Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.01584/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We present a rational analysis of curiosity, proposing that people's curiosity is driven by seeking stimuli that maximize their ability to make appropriate responses in the future. This perspective offers a way to unify previous theories of curiosity into a single framework. Experimental results confirm our model's predictions, showing how the relationship between curiosity and confidence can change significantly depending on the nature of the environment. Please refer to https://psyarxiv.com/wg5m6/ for a more updated version of this manuscript with a more detailed modeling section with extensive experiments.