From two-dimensional to three-dimensional curiosity: A reanalysis of depth-breadth-factor model

This study employs confirmatory factor analysis techniques to reanalyse the correlation matrix computed from the data gathered by Ainley (1985). The data consisted of 227 teacher education students from different tertiary colleges. Ainley used five (12 subscales) frequently used questionnaire measures of curiosity in her study. The purpose of the present study was to test the statistical fit of the two‐factor model of curiosity subsuming two styles—breadth of interest and depth of interest. Application of goodness‐of‐fit indexes offered by the LISREL program revealed that the two‐factor orthogonal model fitted the data poorly. Using confirmatory factor analysis in an exploratory fashion a tentative three‐factor confirmatory factor model was constructed. The third factor can be labelled as “venturesomeness” or “physical thrill‐seeking”. The fit of the three‐factor model was significantly better statistically than the two‐factor model. With the help of a specification search it was still possible to improve the fit of the three‐factor model.