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The Psychology of Question Asking: A Comprehensive Review
1Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel;
Annual Review of Psychology
|August 7, 2026
Summary
This study introduces the Question Asking in Information Seeking (QuInS) framework, synthesizing research on how asking questions drives learning and knowledge discovery across various fields. Understanding question asking enhances our ability to learn effectively.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Information Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Question asking is fundamental to human communication and information seeking.
- Existing research spans early development, AI, and education, lacking a unified perspective.
- The process of inquiry through questions is dynamic and iterative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the Question Asking in Information Seeking (QuInS) framework.
- To provide a unified perspective on question-asking processes.
- To highlight the role of questions in learning and knowledge gap identification.
Main Methods:
- Synthesizing decades of research on question asking across diverse domains.
- Examining early childhood origins and theories of inquiry.
- Reviewing computational advancements in question formulation and assessment.
Main Results:
- The proposed QuInS framework offers a unified view of question-driven inquiry.
- Question asking is crucial for creativity, learning, problem-solving, and social interaction.
- Computational methods are advancing the empirical study of questions.
Conclusions:
- Elucidating the nature and role of question asking is critical for effective learning.
- Improved understanding of question asking enhances knowledge gap identification.
- This research aims to foster more efficient, effective, and creative learners and question askers.
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