what motivates scientists to ask why

It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Today, my work with the Editage Insights team has brought me back to researchers again. Chemistry, Mathematics, Literature, Accounting and Political Science. The assumption that scientists are motivated by the ribbon and puzzle in academic research while commercial engagement is driven primarily by the pursuit of the gold builds on a false dichotomy and polarised view of human motivation. From this point on, I was motivated to understand more about these extinct groups. We stop asking the question "Why?" You can help your students appreciate the excitement of scientific discoveries in many ways for example, by discussing science news stories, new and compelling research, or the announcement of the Nobel prizes in science. we must practice because we wont learn it instantly. Yet, for some reason, we stop asking why. As Gruber put it: Curiosity may put the brain in a state that allows it to learn and return any kind of information, like a vortex that sucks in what you are motivated to learn and also everything around it.. [CDATA[> Spend time today looking at the world from the perspective of what more might you like to know about what you are seeing. leadership or assertiveness. Reproduced courtesy of the University of Sydney, Hit hard by the pandemic, researchers expect its impacts to linger for years, There are 10 catastrophic threats facing humans right now, and coronavirus is only one of them, Chief of Staff (Global Culture and Engagement), Lecturer in Environmental Art - School of Art and Design. Then there's . One of the practices that I recommend to those who wish to enhance their resilience is to ask questions. Or they are too lazy to explore in their minds what they are really interested in knowing ("Why?"). Since their initial goal was to learn instead of succe View the full answer Transcribed image text: 1. Effect: This approach tells the speaker you are not just interrupting but interested in something specific. The de novo creation of olfactory receptor genes links chemotaxis and phototaxis from foraging behavior to social behavior in species from microbes to humans. They probably included: a diet rich in meat; shortened guts, which saved digestive energy; cooking, which reduced time spent own chewing; and upright walking, which required less energy than moving on feet and knuckles. In my work, Ive always been told that I should avoid asking the question "why." Maybe it will empower the poorest people on the planet by eradicating a disease that due to geographical reasons has receivedlittle interest from the rich nations. The whole that I had referred to before is basically the researchers approach to making sense of the different elements of their journey. This sense of duty is similar to what attracts people to careers in the development and humanitarian sectors and is often rewarded by cash-strapped funders like cancer charities who want a bang for their buck. Create a free account and get unlimited access to all resources & a vibrant researcher community. A fairly common motivation amongst scientists is the sense that this work matters and that it should have a practical application. What leads people to a career in science? In many ways, this motivation can besimilar to apassion for science but spending four years studying the development of zebrafish gonads just wont cutit the work has to have an applicable goal. And while nearly half (47%) said it was a good or very good time to begin a career in their field, 53% said it was a bad time to start out in their field. Children of empathic parents thrive. This motivation can materialise itself in arrogant or even pedantic behaviour, like rudely trashinga colleagues work or always wanting to have the last word in an academic debate, but is also the driving force of people who enjoy disrupting dogmas and going against the establishment even if its just to prove the bigwigswrong. However, no matter how noble the motivation, scientists driven by a sense of duty will inevitably face aharsh reality: most academic researchwill not have a direct impact on peoples lives. It was not a simple matter of choosing a question or an area that one wanted to focus on and diving in. Active meditation can prevent intrusive thoughts from sabotaging your practice. In a related experiment, neuroscientists Matthias Gruber, Bernard Gelman, and Charan Ranganath discovered that the activation of the brain in the case of epistemic curiosity precisely followed the pathways that transmit dopamine signals. The 'Why' Behind Asking Why: The Science of Curiosity. I am interested in what the student is thinking for themselves. I loved poring over the Harry Messel textbooks as a 10- or 11-year-old. The thoughts they shared with me were not very different from some Tweets I had found and I share both in this piece. My days were filled with classes and assignments (and quite a bit of free time), while theirs was mostly free time. Leaders can benefit from moments of laughter. Hawking's research has, improved our understanding of where we originated from and how the universe and its, View [Insert text.] Answer: One of the main things that drives scientists is curiosity. My father took me rock collecting and brought chemicals home for me to analyze. I also liked the idea that a set of universal principles governs all natural phenomena. Why probably. Moreover, we can ask so that we become involved in the answer. They all have in common an innate belief in their work and its place in their life. They were beautifully illustrated, with nature drawings and detailed experiments set out in a visual format. 16 min read, Join us in celebrating Peer Review Week 2019! Respond to the following question: What was it about . (2019) and Iorio et al. By the time I defended my thesis however I had been colonised by some of the aforementioned motivations and I knew I wanted to be a scientist. Provide an example. All Rights Reserved. So feel free to reach out and let me know what brought you to research and what keeps you or has kept you motivated through the years. ChatGPT could lead to a lack of originality in both ideas and prose. A new book examines the different drivers of curiosity, and how this fundamental human trait has been impacted by the digital age . Or they dont want to take any responsibility in the answer ("Why am I spending my time here?"). However as time passed and my friendships became deeper, I realized how many strings were attached to pursuing a PhD. 1.The apple smells good 2.The apple has good flavor 3.The apple is red 4.The apple looks ripe 2. Could You Choose Between a Library and a Police Station? Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. This usually occurs in adolescence. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Their "why's" is what develops new ideas, new questions and being able to see something that's never been seen before. Bill Nye put it well when he said that But first Ill exclude twomotivations that only the most delusional individuals would claim to be the reasons thatattracted them to science: money and social status. Fortunately, scientists are always asking this question, which is why we understand so much about the universe. Growing up, I would get nudged gently into the yet-uncharted territory of advanced mathematics by my parents, and they would firmly but not unkindly dissuade me from looking up solutions or asking for their help. I had for example to completely drop my main topic 1.5 years into my PhD, and restart on what was at the time a "Sunday side project". We In fact, I would go so far as to argue that had we known these facts about perceptual and epistemic curiosity from the start, we might have chosen different words to describe the two psychological states, rather than using the same wordcuriosityfor both. Who do I need to network and collaborate with? Include specific example to support your response. Both my parents are scientists. What is it, however, that gives humans this ability to turn every phenomenon into meaningful Why and How questions? Or we might use why questions to appear smart ("Why did we choose this product?"). Protein folding chemistry links nutrient-dependent microRNAs from microRNA flanking sequences to energy transfer and cell type differentiation in the context of adhesion proteins, and supercoiled DNA that protects all organized genomes from virus-driven entropy. So, I listen to their questions the first signal of how they are thinking. Most importantly, you should model the excitement and curiosity for science that you want to inspire in your students. the [1] Kelly OBrien (March 22, 2017). So I stayed! Effect: This approach can actually elicit the real purpose of your presence and may even catch you out as, hopefully, the expected contribution may be reasonable and appropriate. Reason for asking "why" is to derail a meeting by asking a question that has already been answered. And when we are in a moment when we have been pummeled by the unexpected, its great to be ready with more possibilities from which to choose our response resiliently. Alternative question: I feel I cant contribute to the objectives of this meeting. Original "why": Why am I spending my time here? They now are looking for creating their very own work environment in which to create something out of nothing you mention Darwin he actually was put on that boat by his father who wanted him out of his feet, and who could not imagine any better use of his son and his son triggered a revolution, just by accident, because he JUST started thinking and reflecting about what he saw, and started to form hypotheses. Hovering abovethe master mixes, the manuscripts and the strategic decisions that may or may not extend your career in academic research is this fundamental question: what is ones motivation to be an academic scientist? Curiosity killed the cat but in for humans' curiosity has opened unimaginable doors, helped overcome countless challenges and answer . I still have both sets of textbooks on the bookshelf in my home office. I was many things: harried lecturer, canny grant-seeker, cynical academic, chameleon mother and wife of shire president. And as one author put it, "One day the flow of questions will stop, but of course even as adults, were still searching for the answers.[1]. - Aspire to experience the intellectual delight of creating something; - Aspire to give back to society; - The desire to be respected. The initial enthusiasm almost always seems to get replaced by a sense of cynicism and depression. Why Do Women Remember More Dreams Than Men Do? Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Vice-Chancellors Fellow, La Trobe University. A private safe space for researchers around the world to be themselves, learn from and motivate each other, and have some fun! The American physicist Sidney Coleman once said: The career of a young theoretical physicist consists of treating the harmonic oscillator in ever-increasing levels of abstraction. I knew from then on that I would be a scientist. "It's about philosophy," Nye said in a much more serious tone. are or not. To Nye, science isn't just awesome, it offers a way to look at the world. Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Considering what motivates a scientist such as Stephen Hawking to inquire, "Why?" Then when I got to years 11 and 12 at school, the six-volume Harvard Project Physics sold me completely. But after watching all the Discovery Channel, National Geographic and History Channel documentaries I could possibly get my hands on, my mind was constantly in awe of such questions. " because, they are inquisitive people who want to know how things work and why things happen the way, they do. Known for storytelling and knowledge management, she is a popular speaker, author, and instructor. In 2008 I made my first Facebook post. Most scientists try to prove why some things happen the way they happen and in the course of working they find themselves asking questions like why. Maybe the reluctance to ask why questions is because some people use that question as an easy way to put an issue on the table ("Why cant these politicians solve global warming?"). Or are we satisfied only to ask who did something, when did that happen, or how can I get that refund?

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