ABSTRACT
Fundamental types o f curiosity. W e have still an im portan t innate tendency to consider, th a t o f curiosity, together w ith the associated developm ent of various intellectual interests. T he curiosity of some of the higher anim als is fam iliar, e.g., the careful exam ination of strange objects by monkeys, the persistent staring and slow approach o f a herd of young cattle if one stands a t a gate and lows like a cow. ‘Curiosity killed the ca t,’ it is said; and certainly if one watches a cat carefully one finds th a t he does seem curious abou t such things as a new piece of furnitu re in the house. As to young children, every m other o f a child o f average intelligence knows w hat it is to be pestered w ith questions, such as ‘W hy’ or ‘W hat is th a t for ?’ and she knows the little child’s eager exploration and m anipulation of any strange small object he comes across.
