It is suggested that interests have been taken for granted by psychologists and deserve recognirion because they are important in our lives. Different types of interests have different natures and origins and this brief report is limited to intellectual interests. They are described as combining two uniquely human activities—an ever-reaching-out intellect and an emotional coloring which is giving them significance. A consequence is that new interest, with its motivation, is being produced spontaneously and regularly. A number of specific interest-influencing determinants are mentioned and exemplified with brief reports on the interests of some biological and anthropological scientists.
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