5.8.1 Curiosity: searching, play & experimentation

Behaviour based on curiosity, such as searching, play & experimentation, should be considered part of learning. Curiosity might involve searching and experimentation that is not directly driven by the desire or need to reach a satisfactory outcome. However, it might uncover action sequences that might later be repeated to improve the chances at survival and satisfaction.

• Searching for food, for a safe resting place, or for a mate are quite universal behaviour patterns
• Searching includes the possibility of novel action sequences that are not simply repetitions of previous action sequences, thus extending the repertoire into new action sequences that can be repeated later (assuming success).
• Play and experimentation also involve novel action sequences that might lead to satisfactory outcomes. If the outcome is satisfactory it may be repeated.

Let us look at the requirements for the transformation of visual information

• Searching implies going to and looking at new places, not just the old ones
• There is visual recognition required with a twist. If we recognize that we have looked there before, then we don't want to repeat.
• Presumably past experiences up to a certain time or count are examined to avoid repeating

Next, let us look at the transformation requirements for action-related information

• We need to be able to generate new action sequences that have not been done before
• The new sequence is presumably guided by perception, in seeing a new direction to explore, or in seeing a new action to copy
• Some action sequences may have been 'invented' at that moment, i.e. composed or constructed without being guided by perception and without copying anyone
• Some such activities, especially for the very young, may involve random motions, but most new action will be coordinated, and thus likely based on previously learned action segments
• We need to find a way for generating new, not previously done or seen, action sequences
• Experimenting implies somehow generating new action sequences that have not been tried before
• Action sequences from the past have to be recalled and compared
• A new action sequence has to be generated for the comparison
• This new action sequence has to be generated and compared before being executed. Essentially we are dealing with the concept of a plan, a representation of an action sequences that has not yet been enacted.

Finally, let us look at success criteria

• There are success criteria that determine whether the search succeeded or failed
• There are success criteria that determine whether the experimentation succeeded or failed
• Curiosity combines searching and experimenting without definite success criteria