Curiosity Gap

Hiding content behind a reveal may help hold users' attention for longer, as the curiosity gap creates an urge to uncover the missing information.

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Users may feel more motivated to put in effort, e.g., finishing a puzzle, because the curiosity gap makes the missing answer feel worth chasing.

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Framing educational content as a curiosity gap could improve users' understanding of a topic, as they actively seek out the missing answer and absorb it.

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Consultant to 100+ companies

Written by Peter Ramsey

Published: 10/09/2023

How to utilise this in your designs

You could tease each upcoming lesson with an open-ended question or statement, creating a curiosity gap that motivates people to start the next one.

Example from

Brilliant

Try hinting that a friend couldn't complete a puzzle, leaving a curiosity gap about why, which may entice users to attempt it themselves.

Example from

Duolingo

You could hide daily facts behind a tap-to-reveal card, so the curiosity gap pulls users in while also teaching them something about the topic.

Example from

Balance Health

Consider concealing a daily quote behind a sparkling filter that users scratch away, turning the curiosity gap into a small, rewarding effort.

Example from

Mindllama

You could experiment with a 'slide to reveal' interaction on learning content, adding a little mystery that makes users curious enough to uncover one more fact.

Example from

Nibble

Possible impacts

Leaving an open loop, e.g., a teased question, could increase how many users complete non-financial goals, such as starting the next lesson or puzzle.

As seen in:

Hiding content behind a reveal may help hold users' attention for longer, as the curiosity gap creates an urge to uncover the missing information.

As seen in:

Users may feel more motivated to put in effort, e.g., finishing a puzzle, because the curiosity gap makes the missing answer feel worth chasing.

As seen in:

Framing educational content as a curiosity gap could improve users' understanding of a topic, as they actively seek out the missing answer and absorb it.

As seen in: