Attention is essential for sparking curiosity. Attention is how the brain neurologically controls and directs consciousness, and this happens primarily in the frontal lobe, with communication to the parietal lobe. When you pay attention to a thought, emotion, or perception, your brain activity increases. Your conscious life effectively becomes what you pay attention to. And curiosity is an emotional state you can strengthen with practice.

Wonder, curiosity’s cousin, happens not only when we go seeking answers to questions, but when we are surprised by something unexpected. …

Wonder is a complex feeling that creates a heightened state of consciousness and emotion. It’s akin to curiosity, but it’s more expansive in scope and contains attributes of surprise and joy. It has been defined in scientific literature as our innate desire to understand the world, which simmers inside each of us waiting to be ignited.

Excerpt From
Your Brain on Art
Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
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