The Psychology of Question Asking: A Comprehensive Review

Question asking, a foundational aspect of human communication, is an integral part of information-seeking behavior. We delve into the complex landscape of question-asking theories, exploring their diverse intersections with a myriad of fields—such as early development, artificial intelligence, and education. Synthesizing decades of research on question asking across different domains, we introduce the Question Asking in Information Seeking (QuInS) framework. QuInS provides a unified perspective on the iterative, dynamic processes that drive inquiry through question asking. We examine the early childhood origins of question asking, theories of inquiry, and the role of questions in fostering creativity, learning, problem solving, and social contexts. Finally, we explore how recent computational advancements contribute to formulate and empirically assess questions. Given the ubiquity of question asking in daily life, it is critical to elucidate its nature and mechanistic role in identifying and filling knowledge gaps. Such an endeavor will drive us to be more efficient, effective, and creative learners and question askers.