DiscoverStanford Psychology Podcast164 - Susan Engel: Do We Become Less Curious As We Grow Older?
164 - Susan Engel: Do We Become Less Curious As We Grow Older?

164 - Susan Engel: Do We Become Less Curious As We Grow Older?

Update: 2025-11-21
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Adani chats with Dr. Susan Engel, a Senior Lecturer and Senior Faculty Fellow in Psychology at Williams College. Susan’s research spans many areas, including the development of curiosity and invention, children’s ideas, the impact of college, and school reform. In this conversation, we discuss Susan’s seminal research on children's curiosity, how curiosity develops into adulthood, and her latest book, The Intellectual Lives of Children. Susan also shares the story behind how she first started in this field of research, and the projects she’s excited to work on next.

Susan’s website: https://psychology.williams.edu/profile/sengel/
Susan’s book The Hungry Mind: https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Mind-Origins-Curiosity-Childhood/dp/0674984110
Susan’s book The Intellectual Lives of Children: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-intellectual-lives-of-children-susan-engel/1136606329
Susan’s upcoming book American Kindergarten: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/A/bo258923309.html

Adani’s website: https://www.adaniabutto.com
Adani’s Bluesky: @adani

Podcast Twitter @StanfordPsyPod
Podcast Substack https://stanfordpsypod.substack.com/

Let us know what you thought of this episode, or of the podcast! :) stanfordpsychpodcast@gmail.com

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164 - Susan Engel: Do We Become Less Curious As We Grow Older?

164 - Susan Engel: Do We Become Less Curious As We Grow Older?