InhaltsangabeI: Introduction.- I.0 Preface: The Study of Exploration.- Definitions and Distinctions.- The Functions of Exploration: A Psychobiological Perspective "Ultimate Causes".- "Proximate Causes".- The Contents of This Book.- 1. Functional and Motivational Mechanisms of Exploration.- 2. Development and Individual Differences.- 3. The Interconnections of Exploratory Behavior and other Behavioral Systems.- 4. Applied Perspectives.- Additional References.- I.1 Fairy Tales and Curiosity. Exploratory Behavior in Literature for Children or the Futile Attempt to Keep Girls from the Spindle.- Evidence of Curiosity and Exploratory Behavior in Fairy Tales.- Types of Exploratory Behavior in Fairy Tales.- Movement.- Handling and Sensual Experience.- Evaluation of Exploratory Behavior in Fairy Tales.- Curiosity as Subject of the Story.- Curiosity as a Part of Development.- The Right to be Curious.- Literary Culture and Children's Development.- II: Function and Motivational Mechanics of Exploration.- II.2 An Ethological Conception of Exploratory Behavior.- The Sensoric Part.- The Motoric Part.- The Action Readiness System.- The Releasing of Exploration in this Model.- Appetitive Behavior in the Behavior System of Exploration.- References.- II.3 The Neurobiological Foundation of Exploration.- Components of the Exploratory Behavioral System.- Exploration.- Orienting Responses.- Habituation.- Novelty and Fear.- Situation-Specific Behavior.- Other Topics Related to Exploratory Behavior.- A Neurological Model of Exploration.- General Anatomy of Cognitive Information.- The Hippocampal Formation.- Orienting Response and Habituation.- Exploration and Novelty.- Spontaneous Alternation.- The Amygdaloid Complex.- Orienting Responses and Habituation.- Exploration and Amygdala Lesions: Sensory Changes or Emotional?.- Sensory Changes.- Emotional Changes.- Conclusion.- Specific Transmitter Systems.- Other Structures.- Conclusion.- References.- II.4 Two Characteristics of Surprise: Action Delay and Attentional Focus.- The Experimental Paradigm.- Effects of Schema Discrepancy.- Duration of the Surprise Reaction.- Generality of Effects.- Number of Trials.- General Discussion.- References.- II.5 Interest and Curiosity. The Role of Interest in a Theory of Exploratory Action.- The Neglect of Content in Curiosity and Exploration Research.- The Research Perspective of General Psychology.- The Research Perspective of Differential Psychology.- The Theory of Action Research Perspective.- Unsolved Problems in Curiosity and Exploration Research.- A Concept of Object-specific Interests.- Interest Object.- Structural Components of the Interest-Oriented Person-Object-Relationship.- Special Characteristics of an Interest-Oriented Person-Object Relationship.- Interest and Exploration.- Interests Determine the Content and Direction of Diversive Exploration.- Interests Influence the Goal Orientation of Specific Curiosity and Exploration.- Interests Influence the Design of an Exploratory Action.- Interests Serve as the Basis of Content Continuity in a Sequence of Exploratory Actions.- Interests Determine the Nature and Orientation of Cognitive Construction.- Summary and Conclusion.- References.- II.6 Interest and Exploration: Exploratory Action in the Context of Interest Genesis.- The Interests of Individuals.- The Characteristics of Beginning Interests.- Structural Aspects of Early Interests.- The Interest Genesis Project.- Empirical Findings Relating to the Interest Genesis Model.- Typical Structures of Interest-Oriented Person-Object-Relations.- Global Developmental Principles of Interest Development.- Specific Components of Development.- Hypothetical Models of Structural Change.- Discussion - Interest Genesis as both the Result and a Cond-i tional Factor of Exploratory Behavior.- Exploratory Behavior as a Factor in Interest Genesis.- The Importance of Interests in the Development of Exploratory Behavior.- Conclusions.- References.- III: Development and Interindividual Difference