Ｑ34.What is interest?

Ａ.Interest is an attitude of exploring in order to expand territory.<br>
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　　The first of the seven main emotions is interest. All emotions originate from approaching to obtain nourishment and avoiding filth. To approach is the essence of interest.<br>
　　There are four main kinds of actions interest leads to.<br>
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1.Establishment and expansion of one's territory<br>
　　Territory is not only an area of land but, for human beings it is a repertory of activities. Expanding territory increases possible activities.<br>
　　Therefore, interest causes adventure into unknown places, challenging unknown activities or work such as exploring caves. In other words starting new things. Naturally, targeted activities are compared to one's current abilities and seem possible to do. This is slightly stronger in men.<br>
　　Things of interest are things you are connected or familiar with to some extent, and as interest progresses this range expands little by little. Therefore, things with few unknown parts easily become boring.<br>
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2.Hunting activities<br>
　　This means things which change or move become interesting. Many boys are interested in vehicles or insects, it is an interest in hunting activities, therefore they chase and approach these things. For adults it corresponds to sports.<br>
　　This is thought to derive from the difference in the range of peripheral vision in men and women. The central visual field has cells which discern colors, but peripheral vision has cells which are sensitive to movements.<br>
　　The cause of the difference in abilities between the sexes is that in women the route for object vision from the cells in the central visual field, which discern colors, to the temporal lobe develops more easily, while in men the route for spatial vision from the cells, which are sensitive to the movements, used in peripheral vision to the parietal lobe develops more easily.<br>
　　Human beings see three primary colors, but 1 in 20 men see two primary colors, and 1 in 8 women see four primary colors.<br>
　　Women's fashion, such as skirts and earrings, take advantage of this trait that men have. If men see a skirt fluttering or an earring swinging, their eyes are naturally drawn to the movement and look at it. The result of understanding the effectiveness of this is that skirts and earrings are established as women's fashion, and also give a feminine impression.<br>
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3.Gathering activities<br>
　　This means to gather things which are a similar size, colorful, a similar shape, unmoving and displayed, or numerous, such as coins, postage stamps, books, CDs, gems, clothes, or designer goods.<br>
　　Women like gems or flowers because it is related to gathering activities. Researchers believe that women searched for edible plants or fruits in the period of hunters and gatherers. Flowers are a sign of this. Women may like gems because gems are also considered as an eternal flower.<br>
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4.Selecting fellows and pursuing a rank in the group<br>
　　This means things which respond to your approach are checked in order to find future in-group members. This is because people who ignore you will not become part of your in-group.<br>
　　People surprise or weakly attack without hurting a fellow group member, in other words, playing pranks or bothering them in an effort to confirm if the target is a member of their in-group. Most conversations between human beings are also done for this purpose.<br>
　　Interest is an indispensable emotion for all animals, necessary for establishing and expanding their territory, learning life skills, and making a position for themselves in their social group.<br>
　　When human beings feel interest they make a special face; slightly knitting their brows and rounding their mouth. This expression is a signal which means, "there is something here that you should pay attention to."<br>
　　Interest makes you focus your attention on the target and decrease other input information, and if you become enthusiastic you may forget slight pain. This is useful for hunting. Interest is a pleasant sensation that makes you continue to approach the target. This is useful for learning life skills.<br>
　　 Therefore the interest of adults is weaker than children. Adults lose interest because they have already finished many activities such as deciding their territory, obtaining some skills, and establishing their position. So that some adults are obstinate and don't feel interest for new things is appropriate from a biological viewpoint.<br>
　　Why does interest decrease with aging? Strength of interest is clearly related to dopamine, which tends to decrease with aging. The circuit of the brain seems to be made to decrease the pleasure of challenging new things as a person ages.<br>
　　The interest which women feel for cute things is instinctive preparation for childcare. That many women like conversation more than men might be because as a mother she will teach her baby to speak.