The Impact of Epistemic Curiosity on Traffic Risky Behavior: The Mediating Role of Conformity

Different types of epistemic curiosities are associated with opposite attitudes toward risky behavior. However, few studies have taken environmental factors into account. We do not know the specific performance of different curiosities regarding traffic risky behavior (TRB) after introducing public attitudes. Epistemic curiosity is the desire for new knowledge or information. There are two types: interest curiosity and deprivation curiosity. Based on the uncertainty-identity theory and the interest/deprivation model of curiosity, we explored the impact of epistemic curiosity on TRB and the mediating role of conformity. Study 1 employed a cross-sectional design with mediation effect tests. Study 2 employed two substudies, further exploring the specific performance of different levels of interest/deprivation curiosity through a 2 × 2 mixed design and elaborating on the causal relationships between the variables. Study 1 revealed a positive correlation between interest curiosity and TRB, but no such correlation was found between deprivation curiosity and TRB. Mediation test results showed that conformity fully mediated the relationship between deprivation curiosity and TRB, while it could not explain the relationship between interest curiosity and TRB. Study 2 results showed that people with higher levels of deprivation curiosity could be influenced by public attitudes to change their attitudes toward TRB. Our findings provide empirical evidence for distinguishing between different types of epistemic curiosity, as well as a new explanatory mechanism for the emergence of TRBs.