Busybody, Hunter, and Dancer: Curious (social) practices in creativity

Across two studies, we examined the roles for curiosity in creativity. Study 1 used a qualitative case study of artist Rebecca Kamen, analyzing her presentations with open and thematic coding. Findings revealed three modes of curiosity: Busybody - broad, socially oriented exploration; Hunter - focused, in-depth investigation; and Dancer - integrative, imaginative synthesis. Kamen’s creative process was iterative, with curiosity cycling across these modes, highlighting the temporal, relational, and environmentally embedded nature of curiosity-in-action. Study 2 extended these insights to a population-level, trait-focused investigation using a United States sample of 504 adults. Trait curiosity was measured with the Five-Dimensional Curiosity Scale-Revised, including overt and covert social curiosity, and creativity was assessed via the Revised Creativity Domain Questionnaire and the Biographical Inventory of Creative Behaviors. Regression analyses indicated that Thrill Seeking and Overt Social Curiosity were the strongest predictors of creativity. Together, these studies suggest that curiosity supports creativity both through situational, exploratory practices and broader dispositional tendencies. Socially oriented curiosity emerged as a particularly potent driver, linking interpersonal engagement with creativity. By integrating qualitative and quantitative evidence, this work highlights curiosity as a multifaceted, socially embedded phenomenon, advancing understanding of the processes and dispositions that fuel creative thought and innovation.