Science curiosity is the disposition to seek out and savour science for its own sake — the pull toward a documentary, a why-does-that-happen question, or a fresh discovery when no exam or job requires it. Researchers measure it as a single trait running from low to high, distinct from how much science you already know. Its most striking finding: people high in science curiosity tend to engage open-mindedly with surprising evidence rather than dismiss what cuts against their existing beliefs.
Based on the Science Curiosity Scale (Kahan, Landrum, Carpenter, Helft & Hall Jamieson, 2017), a behaviourally validated measure of the disposition to seek out science for pleasure — built from self-report combined with people's actual information-seeking choices. It is treated as a single dimension and is distinct from both science literacy (what you know) and general curiosity. A reflective self-ID, not a test score. (Science Curiosity Scale (Kahan et al., 2017))