Ajay Kumar at 07:00, 23 August 2023

2023-08-23T07:00:40Z

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{{short description|Process of investigating unfamiliar things}}
{{use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Redirect|Explorer|Explorer (disambiguation)}}
{{For|the ''QI'' episode|List of QI episodes {{!}} List of ''QI'' episodes}}
'''Exploration''' is the process of exploring, an activity which has some [[Expectation (epistemic)|expectation]] of [[Discovery (observation)|discovery]]. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organisms capable of directed [[Animal locomotion|locomotion]] and the ability to learn, and has been described in, amongst others, [[social insect]]s foraging behaviour, where feedback from returning individuals affects the activity of other members of the group.<ref name="Biesmeijer and de Vries 2001" />

Exploration has been defined as:
*To travel somewhere in search of discovery.<ref name="Wiktionary" />
*To examine or investigate something systematically.<ref name="Wiktionary" />
*To examine diagnostically.<ref name="Wiktionary" />
*To (seek) experience first hand.<ref name="Wiktionary" />
*To wander without any particular aim or purpose.<ref name="Wiktionary" />

In all these definitions there is an implication of novelty, or unfamiliarity or the expectation of discovery in the exploration, whereas a [[Survey (disambiguation)|survey]] implies directed examination, but not necessarily discovery of any previously unknown or unexpected information. The activities are not mutually exclusive, and often occur simultaneously to a variable extent. The same field of investigation or region may be explored at different times by different explorers with different motivations, who may make similar or different discoveries.

[[Intrinsic exploration]] involves activity that is not directed towards a specific goal other than the activity itself.<ref name="Hughes 1997" />

[[Extrinsic exploration]] has the same meaning as [[appetitive behavior]].<ref name="Wood-Gush and Vestergaard 1989" />{{clarify|date=January 2023}} It is directed towards a specific goal.

==Motivation==
{{See also|Curiosity}}
Curiosity is a quality related to inquisitive [[thinking]] and activities such as exploration, investigation, and [[learning]], evident by observation in humans and other animals.<ref name="Berlyne 1954" /><ref name="Berlyne 1955" />
[[Exploratory behavior]] is the movements of people and other animals while becoming familiar with to new environments, even when there is no obvious biological advantage to it. A lack of exploratory behaviour may be considered an indication of fearfulness or emotionality.<ref name="APA" />
*[[Inspective exploration]] or [[specific exploration]] is directed towards reducing uncertainty, reducing anxiety, or fear, associated with novel stimuli, and thus decreasing arousal.<ref name="APA inspective" />
*[[Diversive exploration]] is exploratory behavior seeking seeking novel or otherwise activating stimuli and thus increasing arousal.<ref name="APA diversive" />
*[[Affective exploration]] is behaviour directed towards maintaining a desired hedonic level of stimulation.<ref name="Piccone 1999" />

==Types==

===Travelling in search of discovery===
{{main|Geographical exploration|Underwater exploration|Space exploration}}

[[File:OrteliusWorldMap1570.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Abraham Ortelius|Ortelius]]'s 1570 world map, the world's first modern atlas.]]
Geographical exploration, sometimes considered the default meaning for the more general term exploration, is the practice of discovering remote lands and regions of the planet Earth.<ref name="RGS 2008"/> It has included combinations of diversive and inspective exploration. The surface of the Earth has been relatively comprehensively explored, as access is generally relatively straightforward, but underwater and subterranean areas are far less known, and even at the surface, much is still to be discovered in detail in the more remote and inaccessible wilderness areas.

Two major eras of geographical exploration occurred in human history: The first, covering most of [[Human]] history, saw people [[Recent African origin of modern humans|moving out of Africa]], settling in new lands, and developing distinct cultures in relative isolation.<ref name="Fernández-Armesto 2007" /> Early explorers settled in Europe and Asia; 14,000 years ago, some crossed the [[Settlement of the Americas|Ice Age land bridge]] from Siberia to Alaska, and moved southwards to settle in the Americas.<ref name="RGS 2008" /> For the most part, these cultures were ignorant of each other's existence.<ref name="Fernández-Armesto 2007" /> The second period of exploration, occurring over the last 10,000 years, saw increased cross-cultural exchange through trade and exploration, and marked a new era of cultural intermingling, and more recently, convergence.<ref name="Fernández-Armesto 2007" />

Early writings about exploration date back to the 4th millennium B.C. in [[ancient Egypt]]. One of the earliest and most impactful thinkers on exploration was [[Ptolemy]] in the 2nd century AD. Between the 5th century and 15th century AD, most exploration was done by Chinese and Arab explorers. This was followed by the [[Age of Discovery]] after European scholars rediscovered the works of early Latin and Greek geographers. While the Age of Discovery was partly driven by land routes outside of Europe becoming unsafe,<ref name="Age of discovery" /> and a desire for conquest, the 17th century also saw exploration driven by nobler motives, including scientific discovery and the expansion of knowledge about the world.<ref name="RGS 2008" /> This broader knowledge of the world's geography meant that people were able to make [[world map]]s, depicting all land known. The first modern [[atlas]] was the ''[[Theatrum Orbis Terrarum]]'', published by [[Abraham Ortelius]], which included a world map that depicted all of Earth's continents.<ref name="GLO Chapter 2" />{{rp|page=32}}

[[File:ALVIN submersible.jpg|thumb|DSV ''Alvin'', a crewed submersible, much used for underwater exploration.]]
Underwater exploration is the exploration of any [[underwater environment]], either by direct observation by the explorer, or by remote observation and measurement under the direction of the investigators. Systematic, targeted exploration, with simultaneous survey, and recording of data, followed by data processing, interpretation and publication, is the most effective method to increase understanding of the ocean and other underwater regions, so they can be effectively managed, conserved, regulated, and their resources discovered, accessed, and used. Less than 10% of the ocean has been mapped in any detail, even less has been visually [[Observation|observed]], and the total diversity of life and distribution of populations is similarly incompletely known.<ref name="NOAA/NOS" />

===Systematic examination or investigation===
{{Main|Science|Prospecting}}
Systematic investigation is done in an orderly and organised manner, generally following a plan, though it should be a flexible plan, which is amenable to rational adaptation to suit circumstances, as the concept of exploration accepts the possibility of the unexpected being encountered, and the plan must survive such encounters to remain useful.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Prospecting for [[mineral]]s is an example of systematic investigation and of inspective exploration. Traditionally prospecting relied on direct observation of mineralisation in rock outcrops or in sediments, but more recently also includes the use of geologic, geophysical, and geochemical tools to search for anomalies which can narrow the search area. The area to be prospected should be covered sufficiently to minimise the risk of missing something important, but can take into account previous experience that certain geological evidence correlates with a very low probability of finding the desired minerals, and other evidence indicates a high probability, making it efficient to concentrate on the areas of high probability when they are found, and to skip areas of very low probability. Once an anomaly has been identified and interpreted to be a prospect, more detailed exploration of the potential reserve can be done by soil sampling, drilling, seismic surveys, and similar methods to assess the most appropriate method and type of mining and the economic potential.<ref name="Britannica" />
{{expand section|date=January 2023}}

===Diagnostical examination===
{{main|Science|Medicine|Forensics}}
[[Diagnosis]] is the identification of the nature and cause of a given phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in many different [[academic discipline|disciplines]], such as [[medicine]], [[forensic science]] and engineering [[failure analysis]], with variations in the use of [[logic]], [[analytics]], and experience, to determine [[causality]].<ref name="Greg Stanley" /> A diagnostic examination explores the available evidence to try to identify likely causes for observed effects, and may also investigate further with the intention to discover additional relevant evidence. This is an instance of inspective and extrinsic exploration.
{{expand section|date=January 2023}}

===To seek experience first hand===
{{See also|Recreation|Learning}}
Exploration as the pursuit of first hand experience and knowledge is often an example of diversive and intrinsic exploration when done for personal satisfaction and entertainment, though it may also be for purposes of learning or verifying the information provided by others, which is an extrinsic motivation, and which is likely to be characterised by a relatively systematic approach. As the personal aspect of the experience is central to this type of exploration, the same region or range of experiences may be explored repeatedly by different people, for each can have a reasonable expectation of personal discovery.
{{expand section|date=January 2023}}

===Wandering without any particular aim or purpose===
{{see also|Play (activity)|Recreation}}
Wandering about in the hope or expectation of serendipitous discovery may also be considered a form of diversive exploration.
{{expand section|date=January 2023}}

==Other animals==
{{See also|Exploratory behavior}}
Exploratory behavior has been defined as behavior directed toward getting information about the environment,<ref name="Meyer 1998" /> or to locate things such as food or individuals. Exploration usually follows a sequence, in which four stages can be identified.<ref name="mousebehavior" /> The first phase is search, in which the subject moves around to contact relevant stimuli, to which the subject pays attention, and may approach and investigate. The sequence may be interrupted by flight if danger is recognised, or a return to search if the stimulus is not interesting or useful.<ref name="mousebehavior search" /><ref name="mousebehavior investigate" /><ref name="mousebehavior attend" /><ref name="mousebehavior approach" />

A tendency to explore a new environment has been recognised in a wide range of free-moving animals from invertebrates to primates. Various forms of exploratory behaviour in animas have been analysed and categorised since 1960.<ref name="Hughes 1997" />

==See also==
*{{annotated link|Exploration geophysics}}
*{{annotated link|Exploration problem}}
*{{annotated link|Intrinsic motivation (artificial intelligence)}}
*{{annotated link|Motivation}}
*{{annotated link|Simultaneous localization and mapping}}
*{{annotated link|United States Exploring Expedition}}
*{{annotated link|List of explorers}}
*{{annotated link|List of maritime explorers}}

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="Age of discovery" >{{Cite web |title=European exploration - The Age of Discovery {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/European-exploration/The-Age-of-Discovery |access-date=2022-10-06 |website=www.britannica.com }}</ref>

<ref name="APA" >{{cite web |url=https://dictionary.apa.org/exploratory-behavior |title=exploratory behavior |website=APA Dictionary of Psychology |publisher=American Psychological Association |access-date=25 January 2023 }}</ref>

<ref name="APA diversive" >{{cite web |url=https://dictionary.apa.org/diversive-exploration |title=diversive exploration |website=APA Dictionary of Psychology |publisher=American Psychological Association |access-date=25 January 2023 |quote=defined by [[Daniel Berlyne|Daniel E. Berlyne]] }}</ref>

<ref name="APA inspective" >{{cite web |url=https://dictionary.apa.org/exploratory-behavior |title=inspective exploration |website=APA Dictionary of Psychology |publisher=American Psychological Association |access-date=25 January 2023 |quote=defined by Daniel E. Berlyne }}</ref>

<ref name="Berlyne 1954">{{Cite journal| author = Berlyne DE. | title = A theory of human curiosity. | journal = Br J Psychol | volume = 45 | issue = 3 | pages = 180–91 | year = 1954 | pmid = 13190171 | doi=10.1111/j.2044-8295.1954.tb01243.x}}</ref>

<ref name="Berlyne 1955" >{{Cite journal| author = Berlyne DE. | title = The arousal and satiation of perceptual curiosity in the rat. | journal = J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. | volume = 48 | issue = 4 | pages = 238–246 | year = 1955 | pmid = 13252149 | doi=10.1037/h0042968}}</ref>

<ref name="Biesmeijer and de Vries 2001" >{{cite journal |last1=Biesmeijer |first1=J. |last2=de Vries |first2=H. |title=Exploration and exploitation of food sources by social insect colonies: a revision of the scout-recruit concept |journal=Behav Ecol Sociobiol |volume=49 |pages=89–99 |date=2001 |issue=2–3 |doi=10.1007/s002650000289 |hdl=1874/1185 |s2cid=37901620 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Britannica" >{{Cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/mining |title=Mining - Prospecting and exploration |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=29 February 2020 }}</ref>

<ref name="Fernández-Armesto 2007" >{{Cite book |last=Fernández-Armesto |first=Felipe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6bYQAAAAQBAJ |title=Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration |date=October 17, 2007 |publisher=[[W. W. Norton & Company]] |isbn=978-0-393-24247-8 |language=en |via=[[Google Books]] |access-date=October 6, 2022 |archive-date=October 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016144552/https://books.google.com/books?id=6bYQAAAAQBAJ |url-status=live}}</ref>

<ref name="GLO Chapter 2">{{cite report |title=Global Land Outlook |date=2017 |publisher=[[United Nations Convention on Desertification]] |isbn=978-92-95110-48-9 |access-date=November 3, 2022 |chapter-url=https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/2018-06/GLO%20English_Ch2.pdf |chapter=Chapter 2 - Brief History of Land Use—}}</ref>

<ref name="Greg Stanley" >{{cite web |url=http://gregstanleyandassociates.com/whitepapers/FaultDiagnosis/faultdiagnosis.htm |title=A Guide to Fault Detection and Diagnosis |publisher=gregstanleyandassociates.com }}</ref>

<ref name="Hughes 1997" >{{cite journal |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376635797000557 |journal=Behavioural Processes |volume=41 |issue=3 |date=December 1997 |pages=213–226 |title=Intrinsic exploration in animals: motives and measurement |doi=10.1016/S0376-6357(97)00055-7 |first=Robert N |last=Hughes |pmid=24896854 |s2cid=23321360 }}</ref>

<ref name="Meyer 1998" >{{cite book |title=Handbook of Developmental Neurotoxicology |date=1998 |pages=403–426 |first=Jerrold S. |last=Meyer |chapter=22 - Behavioral Assessment in Developmental Neurotoxicology: Approaches Involving Unconditioned Behaviors Pharmacologic Challenges in Rodents |doi=10.1016/B978-012648860-9.50029-7 }}</ref>

<ref name="mousebehavior" >{{cite web |url=https://mousebehavior.org/exploratory-behavior/ |title=Exploration |website=mousebehavior.org |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="mousebehavior approach" >{{cite web |url=https://mousebehavior.org/approach/ |title=Approach |website=mousebehavior.org |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="mousebehavior attend" >{{cite web |url=https://mousebehavior.org/attend/ |title=Attend |website=mousebehavior.org |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="mousebehavior investigate" >{{cite web |url=https://mousebehavior.org/investigate/ |title=Investigate |website=mousebehavior.org |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="mousebehavior search" >{{cite web |url=https://mousebehavior.org/search/ |title=Search |website=mousebehavior.org |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>

<ref name="NOAA/NOS" >{{cite web |url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html |title=How much of the ocean have we explored? |website=oceanservice.noaa.gov |access-date=6 January 2023 }}</ref>

<ref name="Piccone 1999" >{{cite web |url=http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/students/curious.htm |title=Curiosity and Exploration |first=Jason |last=Piccone |date=Spring 1999 |publisher=California State University, Northridge |website=www.csun.edu |access-date=26 January 2023 |quote=Wohlwill (1981)}}</ref>

<ref name="RGS 2008">{{Cite book |author=[[Royal Geographical Society]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uo8SAQAAIAAJ |title=Atlas of Exploration |date=2008 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-534318-2 |language=en |access-date=October 6, 2022 |archive-date=October 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016144552/https://books.google.com/books?id=uo8SAQAAIAAJ |url-status=live |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>

<ref name="Wiktionary" >{{cite web|author=((Wiktionary contributors)) |title=explore |publisher=Wiktionary, The Free Dictionary |date=30 November 2022 |url=https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=explore&oldid=70015629 |access-date=29 December 2022 }}</ref>

<ref name="Wood-Gush and Vestergaard 1989" >{{cite journal |last1=Wood-Gush |first1=D.G.M. |last2=Vestergaard |first2=K. |title=Exploratory behavior and the welfare of intensively kept animals |journal=Journal of Agricultural Ethics |volume=2 |pages=161–169 |date=1989 |issue=2 |doi=10.1007/BF01826929 |s2cid=144112548 }}</ref>

}}

{{Exploration}}

[[Category:Exploration| ]]
[[Category:Human activities]]

Exploration - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 07:00, 23 August 2023