Adults opt out of answering more on trials they later answer incorrectly, and curiosity is higher on opted-out trials (metacognitive control)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · causal r1 · q3 · i2–i3
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Participants were less likely to opt out on correct than on incorrect trials in Experiment 2. → Sunae Kim 2025 q3 i3 Curiosity was rated higher on opted-out trials than on non-opted-out trials in Experiment 2. → Sunae Kim 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Sunae Kim 2025¶

Sunae Kim, Paul L Harris, Benjamin Néher. (2025). Curiosity can influence metacognitive processes. Metacognition and Learning (2025) 20:39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-025-09444-y

q3 · i2 · causal · r1

Experiment 2 (final N = 25 Hungarian adults who used the opt-out at least once; 40 trials; accuracy for opted-out trials from forced responses at the end). Mixed-effects regression showed "χ2 = 35.5, df = 1, p <.001" with OR = 0.32; opt-out proportions were 0.1 (correct) vs 0.3 (incorrect).

"Participants were less likely to opt out on correct than on incorrect trials χ2 = 35.5, df = 1, p <.001 (b = −1.15, SE = 0.19, OR = 0.32)."

Sunae Kim 2025 (2)¶

Sunae Kim, Paul L Harris, Benjamin Néher. (2025). Curiosity can influence metacognitive processes. Metacognition and Learning (2025) 20:39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-025-09444-y

q3 · i3 · causal · r1

Same Experiment 2 mixed-effects regression on curiosity and opt-out choice found "F(1, 998) = 24.6, p <.001" with β = 0.41; mean curiosity was 58.4 overall, higher on opted-out trials. The authors interpret opting out when curious as a strategic decision aimed at improving performance.

"Curiosity was rated higher on opted out trials than on non-opted out trials, F(1, 998) = 24.6, p <.001 (b = 11.71, SE = 2.36, β = 0.41)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• The opt-out and curiosity–accuracy findings replicate in a larger UK sample (Experiment 3A)
• Adults report greater curiosity about answers on incorrect-answer trials than on correct-answer trials — related
• Exposure to others' discrepant curiosity ratings reduces the curiosity gap between opted-out and non-opted-out trials and between incorrect and correct trials, altering metacognitive control — related
• Adults' confidence judgments track answer accuracy: confidence is higher on correct than incorrect general-knowledge trials (metacognitive monitoring) — related
• Without feedback, people are more curious about high-confidence errors than about equally high-confidence correct answers, replicated across experiments — related
• Heuristic cues — response time, familiarity, problem complexity, and context reinstating — guide opting-out decisions — related
• Allowing opt-out options improves output-bound accuracy in adults, primary-school children, and preschoolers — related
• People underuse opt-out options, and explicit presentation substantially increases their use — related