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Relationship between Boredom Proneness and Impulsivity

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Abstract

As part of a larger investigation, the relationship between boredom proneness and impulsiveness was investigated among 381 undergraduates. A significant positive correlation of .56 obtained between boredom proneness and impulsivity. Significant positive associations were also found between scores on boredom proneness and impulsiveness subscales.

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... Although the sample consisted of students, this could have implications for CWB acts of production deviance like purposely working slowly. Another study on juveniles (14-18 years), employing a full self-report methodology, found that high levels of delinquent behavior were accompanied by high boredom proneness along with many negative possible selves (a version of the self that the child is afraid of becoming) and few positive possible selves (a version of the self that the child would like to become) (Newberry & Duncan, 2001 Couple this with the finding by Watt and Vodanovich (1992) that boredom proneness showed a significant correlation with impulsiveness and the finding by Vodanovich, Verner, and Gilbride (1991) that boredom proneness correlated significantly with all subfacets of negative affect (i.e. depression, hostility, anxiety, dysphoria), and the case for a relationship with CWB strengthens. ...
... In a stronger design that looked at possible moderators of the relationship, Dahlen and colleagues (2004) found that boredom proneness related to high aggression, trait anger, dysfunctional anger expression, and deficits in anger control. Moreover, they were able to extend Rupp and Vodanovich's (1997) previous findings by ruling out the possibility that the relationship was only a function of impulsiveness and sensation seeking (important because prior work indicates that these three variables are related (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992)). While adding impulsiveness and sensation seeking to the model decreased the variance accounted for by boredom proneness in some of the dependent measures, boredom proneness remained a significant predictor. ...
... These hypotheses center on the most severe types of angry retaliation against coworkers (abuse) and the organization (sabotage). These associations are expected due to the findings demonstrated in prior work between boredom proneness and all forms of negative affect , boredom proneness and aggression (Rupp & Vodanovich, 1997;& Dahlen et al., 2004), and boredom proneness and sensation seeking, Type A behavior , and impulsivity (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992). ...
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The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among individual values, trait boredom, job boredom, job characteristics, and CWB. Job boredom and trait boredom were expected to be positively related to CWB. Individual values and job characteristics were expected to moderate the relationship between boredom and different types of CWB. Completed online questionnaires were received from 211 participants, and 112 co-worker matches also submitted online surveys. The Schwartz Value Survey, Job Descriptive Index, Job Boredom Scale, and Boredom Proneness Scale were used to assess independent variables. The Counterproductive Work Behavior Checklist measured the dependent variable. Results were analyzed using correlation and moderated regression. Both trait boredom and job boredom showed large significant correlations with all forms of CWB. Additionally, co-worker reported job boredom showed significant correlations with some forms of CWB. Values showed small and mostly non-significant relationships with CWB and no moderating effects on the boredom/CWB relationship. Job characteristics showed relationships with some forms of CWB but did not interact with boredom in its effects on CWB. In general, moderating effects were not found in the relationships among boredom, values, job characteristics, and CWB. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
... In addition, the theta/beta ratio during rest was found to be associated with decreased feedback-related negativity (FRN), as well as greater risk-taking during a gambling task (Massar et al. 2014). As mentioned above, boredom has been consistently associated with elevated risk-taking and sensation seeking (Blaszczynski et al. 1990;Kass and Vodanovich 1990;Kılıç et al. 2020;Watt and Vodanovich 1992). As such, we examined this ratio in the current sample to determine whether self-reported boredom proneness would be predictive of variance in the theta/beta ratio. ...
... Boredom has also been shown to be related to reward processing, such that state boredom leads to greater reward sensitivity (Milyavskaya et al. 2019). Furthermore, boredom proneness has been associated with reward-seeking (or at least sensation seeking) and impulsive behaviours (Watt and Vodanovich 1992). Those reporting higher boredom at school in the current study may be seeking more rewarding outlets for engagement and failing to satisfy that drive. ...
Article
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Boredom is a prominent experience commonly reported in school settings and associated with poor academic achievement. Little is known, however, about the age-related trajectory of boredom. Here we examined self-reported ratings of boredom in a cross-sectional sample of 8 to 15-year olds (n = 185) as a function of resting state EEG. Results indicated that reports of boredom in school rose as a function of age. Resting state EEG showed a decrease in theta power with age perhaps reflective of increased control. While no effects were evident in beta and alpha bands, we did observe an interaction between boredom and age for frontal asymmetry such that for those higher in boredom, the asymmetry increased with age. Finally, for theta to beta ratios there were main effects of age (i.e., a decrease in theta/beta ratio with age) and boredom such that those higher in boredom had higher theta/beta ratios over frontal and central brain areas. The results are discussed in the context of prior work on school-related boredom and provide several important avenues for further research.
... Moreover, there is reason to believe that these individuals might have had more difficulty resisting the temptation to break COVID-19 rules. Specifically, boredom prone individuals commonly score low on measures of self-control [12,13] while scoring high on traits such as impulsivity [14] and sensation-seeking [15]. Consistent with this explanation, findings from numerous studies suggest that boredom prone individuals may be more likely to cope with boredom in ways that demonstrate a failure to effectively regulate their behaviours. ...
... Therefore, individuals could have responded to pandemic boredom in ways that complied with COVID-19 regulations (e.g., engaging in solitary hobbies) or in ways that involved breaking the rules (e.g., gathering in large groups). Considering that boredom prone individuals tend to present with poor self-control [12,13] as well as high sensation-seeking [15] and impulsivity [14], it seems possible that they may have had more difficulty resisting the temptation to engage in rule-breaking when searching for ways to alleviate boredom. ...
Article
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Research conducted within the first year of the pandemic demonstrated that boredom prone individuals were more likely to break rules (e.g., social distancing) aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. It is of interest whether this relation persisted deeper into the pandemic, given that initial results may have reflected the extraordinary nature of the early stages of the pandemic on one hand, or more stable dispositions on the other. Therefore, in the Summer of 2021, we administered an online survey to investigate whether boredom proneness predicted COVID-19 rule-breaking over one year into the pandemic (and approximately one year after the earlier studies). We found that boredom prone individuals remained more likely to engage in COVID-19 rule-breaking. Our results suggest that a trait disposition towards boredom exerts a persistent, long-term influence on behaviour, one that is detrimental to personal well-being during the pandemic. Adherence to public health measures might be improved by encouraging individuals to find adaptive ways of coping with boredom.
... APPROPRIATENESS THESIS: Is boredom, either as trait or state, morally appropriate or inappropriate? With regards to trait boredom, high boredom prone individuals experience impulse control deficits Isacescu and Danckert 2018;Moynihan, Igou, Van Tilburg 2017;Watt and Vodanovich 1992;Leong and Schneller 1993), are more likely than low boredom prone individuals to engage in risktaking behavior (Dahlen et al. 2005;Kass, Beede, and Vodanovich 2010;Vodanovich and Watt 2016), and are prone to addictive behavior such as drug and alcohol abuse (Biolcati, Mancini, and Trombini 2018;LePera 2011;cf. Paulson, Coombs, and Richardson 1990), hypersexuality (Reid, Garos, and Carpenter 2011), and problem gambling (Blaszczynski, McConaghy, and Frankova 1990;see though Mercer and Eastwood 2010). ...
... Isacescu and Danckert 2018;Mercer-Lynn et al. 2013;Moynihan, Igou, Van Tilburg 2017;Pfattheicher et al. 2020;Struk, Scholer, and Danckert 2016;Vodanovich and Watt 2016;Watt and Vodanovich 1992; Wink and Donahue 1997). ...
Chapter
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This is the introductory chapter to The Moral Psychology of Boredom (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021). It discusses the various ways in which boredom is morally significant and offers a summary of the experiential profile of boredom.
... More future-oriented persons also show less boredom proneness. The finding that highly boredomprone individuals are more likely to engage in impulsive and higher risk-taking behaviors has previously been observed [8,[96][97][98]. Watt and Vodanovich [98] found a highly positive correlation of 0.56 between boredom proneness and impulsivity. ...
... The finding that highly boredomprone individuals are more likely to engage in impulsive and higher risk-taking behaviors has previously been observed [8,[96][97][98]. Watt and Vodanovich [98] found a highly positive correlation of 0.56 between boredom proneness and impulsivity. Boden [99] explains that the experience of boredom usually entails maladaptive, sensation-seeking behavior and searching for rapid stimulation and reward. ...
Article
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We aimed to validate four established questionnaires related to time perception in German (Consideration of Future Consequences-14 scale (CFC-14), Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS), Metacognitive Questionnaire on Time (MQT), and Self-Awareness Questionnaire (SAQ)) using a back-translation method. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted on the data of 273 German-speaking participants to evaluate the factorial structures. Internal consistencies indicated good reliability values of the questionnaires and the respective subscales, except for the MQT. Intercorrelations between the questionnaires were examined to test their external validities and gain additional insight into the associations among the constructs. The consideration of future consequences was negatively linked to boredom proneness, whereas interoceptive awareness of one's bodily sensations was positively associated with boredom proneness. Additionally, interoceptive awareness was linked to metacognitive beliefs about which factors influence time perception. The results are discussed in regard to human time perception. Conclusion: The validated German questionnaires can now be used in research projects. Initial observations on how the questionnaires are related to each other fit the current knowledge on how human time perception works, yielding the first evidence for the external validity of the German versions of these established questionnaires. For evidence of criterion validity, future studies should more thoroughly investigate the external validities analyzing the correlations with other validated measures.
... These findings are compatible wilh earlier writings which suggest that boredom is a manifestation of inner anger (e.g., Lantz, 1988;McHoIland, 1988;Morrant, 1984). They are aiso consistent with prior studies that have found significant relationships between high boredom levels and pi:)or impulse control (e.g., Leong & Schneller, 1993;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992a). ...
... For instance, a variety of other constructs (e.g., impulsivity. Type A behavior, depression, sensation seeking) have been identified that relate to anger, aggression, and/or boredom (Apteretal., 1990;Biaggio & G(xlwin, 1987;Carver & Glass, 1978;Kass & Vodanovich, 1990;Maiuro et al., 1988;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992a). Consequently, it would be productive to examine how such variables mitigate the consequences boredom in future studies. ...
Article
The effects of boredom proneness on different a.spects of anger and aggression were examined. Undergraduate students (N = 293) com- pleted the Boredom Proneness Scale, the Aggre.tsion Quexlionnaire. and lhe Anger E.xpres.sion Scale. Mtdtivariate analy.ies of covariance indicated thai high boredom proneness total scores were related to greater overall Aggression and Anger scores. Individuals high in boredom proneness had significani ty greater scores on the Hostility suhscale ofthe Aggression Questionnaire, as well as greater scores on alt three subscales on the Anger Expression Scale (Anger-In. Anger- Out, and Anger-Control). Additional MANCOVAs and regression anah- ses indicated ihal the Boredom subscales of Internal and E.xternai Stimulation have differential effects on anger and aggression compared to total BPS scores. The results suggest that boredom proneness mav be a contributing factor in anger and aggression, and illustrate the impor- tance of considering the facets (suhscates) of this construct. Implica- tions for diagnostic purposes and use in therapeutic settings are dis- cussed.
... Indeed, studies have demonstrated that individuals with HD report lower levels of emotion regulation [16], distress tolerance, and greater fear and intolerance of negative emotional states [17]. In addition, both boredom [18,19] and hoarding (e.g., [20]) have been linked to increased impulsivity, a factor that may contribute to greater difficulties with acquisition. Previous studies show links between boredom and excessive acquisition in compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD) [21-25], a presentation that shares a high degree of overlap with HD [26][27][28]. ...
Article
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In hoarding disorder, features including attentional difficulties and emotion dysregulation can contribute to the core symptoms of clutter, difficulties discarding, and excessive acquisition. Boredom is a negative feeling state that shares a high level of overlap with associated features of hoarding, including inattention, depressive symptoms, and impulsivity, and has been implicated in compulsive buying behaviors. Boredom may be a particularly relevant factor in compulsive hoarding; however, this relationship remains significantly under-researched. The present studies aimed to thoroughly investigate associations between boredom and hoarding severity using diverse methodologies. Study 1 ( N = 253) replicated, in an online community sample, previously reported positive associations between hoarding severity and recent state boredom while statistically controlling for potentially confounding variables (e.g., depression, indecisiveness), and extended these findings to include boredom proneness. In Study 2, individuals with elevated hoarding symptoms ( n = 56) and a history of hoarding problems ( n = 43) reported higher levels of recent state and trait boredom than controls ( n = 61). Additionally, boredom was associated with performance on simulated acquiring and discarding tasks. Finally, Studies 3a ( N = 144) and 3b ( N = 146) attempted the first experimental tests of induced boredom on acquiring and discarding behaviors. Although results were mixed and preclude causal conclusions, exploratory analyses revealed that individuals reporting higher in-the-moment boredom took more ( p = .008) and discarded fewer ( p = .021) items on the simulated tasks. Overall, results suggest that boredom may have crucial implications in hoarding symptom severity.
... This is consistent with the notion that boredom remains a clinically relevant and important aspect of BPD, deserving of further study. Studies in non-clinical samples show that boredom proneness is associated with many features of BPD, including impulsivity [10,11]; aggression, anger, and hostility [12]; interpersonal sensitivity [13]; and interpersonal difficulties [14,15]. These associations are supported by clinical and theoretical accounts of BPD which describe both a chronic, pervasive tendency toward boredom and an inability to tolerate it. ...
Article
Difficulty with boredom was eliminated from the formal diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) in 1994 based on significantly limited, unpublished data. However, it is apparent in clinical practice that boredom remains relevant to BPD. This review synthesizes empirical research, with consideration of theoretical accounts, to critically examine the relevance of boredom to BPD. We first briefly review issues in defining and measuring boredom and offer an expanded conceptualization for BPD, which includes the notion of boredom reactivity, before turning to boredom's differentiation from and overlap with feelings of emptiness, with which it was paired prior to its removal from the DSM. We then discuss perspectives on boredom's significance in BPD, briefly touching on its relevance in other personality disorders. We propose a Boredom Cascade Model that articulates how boredom and boredom reactivity interact with identity disturbance and chronic emptiness to create escalating patterns of behavioral dysregulation and make recommendations for research and treatment.
... There are two widely used scales to measure general trait boredom: The Boredom Proneness Scale [BPS; 23] and the Boredom Susceptibility Scale [BSS ; 24]. Research on the BPS has revealed that boredom proneness has multiple undesirable correlates, including alexithymia [25], alienation [26], anger and aggression [27][28][29], impulsiveness [28,[30][31][32], loneliness [23], narcissism [33], negative affect [34], neuroticism [28,35,36] procrastination [37,38], and unsociability [31]. In turn, low levels of boredom proneness have been shown to be linked with higher levels of conscientiousness, openness to experience [6], and life satisfaction [23]. ...
Article
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Existing research shows that high achievement boredom is correlated with a range of undesirable behavioral and personality variables and that the main antecedents of boredom are being over- or under-challenged. However, merely knowing that students are highly bored, without taking their achievement level into account, might be insufficient for drawing conclusions about students’ behavior and personality. We, therefore, investigated if low- vs. high-achieving students who experience strong mathematics boredom show different behaviors and personality traits. The sample consisted of 1,404 German secondary school students (fifth to 10th grade, mean age 12.83 years, 52% female). We used self-report instruments to assess boredom in mathematics, behavioral (social and emotional problems, positive/negative affect, cognitive reappraisal, and expressive suppression), and personality variables (neuroticism and conscientiousness). In comparing highly bored students (more than one SD above M, n = 258) who were low vs. high achievers (as indicated by the math grade, n = 125 / n = 119), results showed that there were no mean level differences across those groups for all variables. In conclusion, our results suggest that high boredom can occur in both low- and high-achieving students and that bored low- and high-achievers show similar behaviors and personality profiles.
... Si bien las consecuencias del aburrimiento sobre la atención son claras, las investigaciones muestran, además, efectos perjudiciales sobre la motivación, las estrategias de aprendizaje, los recursos cognitivos, la autorregulación y el desarrollo académico de los estudiantes (Mann & Robinson, 2009;Nett, Goetz, & Daniels, 2010;Pekrun et al., 2010;Sánchez-Rosas & Esquivel, 2016), incluyendo ausentismo (Sharp, Hemmings, Kay, Murphy, & Elliott, 2016) y abandono escolar (Bearden, Spencer, & Moracco, 1989), entre otros. Estudios recientes, también, han ido más allá del efecto del aburrimiento sobre el desempeño escolar e indican que está relacionado con: estrés, impulsividad y conductas de riesgo; uso de drogas, alcohol y nicotina; depresión e insatisfacción con la vida; juego excesivo; impulsividad; delincuencia juvenil; depresión; estrés y angustia; problemas de salud; procrastinación, aumento de la agresión; ausentismo y abandono escolar (Daschmann et al., 2011;LePera, 2011;Nett et al., 2010;Pekrun et al., 2010;Preckel, Götz, & Frenzel, 2010;Todman, 2003;Vodanovich et al., 2011;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992;Weir, 2013). ...
... Si bien las consecuencias del aburrimiento sobre la atención son claras, las investigaciones muestran, además, efectos perjudiciales sobre la motivación, las estrategias de aprendizaje, los recursos cognitivos, la autorregulación y el desarrollo académico de los estudiantes (Mann & Robinson, 2009;Nett, Goetz, & Daniels, 2010;Pekrun et al., 2010;Sánchez-Rosas & Esquivel, 2016), incluyendo ausentismo (Sharp, Hemmings, Kay, Murphy, & Elliott, 2016) y abandono escolar (Bearden, Spencer, & Moracco, 1989), entre otros. Estudios recientes, también, han ido más allá del efecto del aburrimiento sobre el desempeño escolar e indican que está relacionado con: estrés, impulsividad y conductas de riesgo; uso de drogas, alcohol y nicotina; depresión e insatisfacción con la vida; juego excesivo; impulsividad; delincuencia juvenil; depresión; estrés y angustia; problemas de salud; procrastinación, aumento de la agresión; ausentismo y abandono escolar (Daschmann et al., 2011;LePera, 2011;Nett et al., 2010;Pekrun et al., 2010;Preckel, Götz, & Frenzel, 2010;Todman, 2003;Vodanovich et al., 2011;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992;Weir, 2013). ...
... Również wyniki badań korelacyjnych wskazują przede wszystkim na związki osobowościowej tendencji do nudzenia się z depresyjnością, w tym poczuciem beznadziei, obniżonym nastrojem i lękiem (Vodanovich, Verner & Gilbride, 1991;Blaszczynski i inni, 1990;Gana & Akremi, 1990). Inne opracowania wykazały pozytywne korelacje podatności na nudę z wrogością (Rupp & Vodanovich, 1997), cechami osobowości typu A (Blunt & Pychyl, 1998), słabą kontrolą impulsów (Leong & Schneller, 1993), neurotycznością (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992), a także ekstrawersją rozumianą wg. opisu Eysenck'a (Ahmed, 1990). ...
Thesis
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[PL] W przeprowadzonej pracy badanymi pojęciami są nudzenie się, potrzeba autonomii oraz percepcja piękna. Każdy z tych konstruktów ma silne podłoże filozoficzne, które pozwala na lepsze zrozumienie zjawisk. Tak więc, potrzeba autonomii jest jedną z kluczowych cech przynależnych człowieczeństwu, lenistwo będące postawą zamykającą osobę na dobro okazuje się stanem pokrewnym do nudzenia się, a piękno może być doświadczaną ekscytacją. Skonstruowano badanie, gdzie uczestnic z grupy kontrolnej byli zwyczajnie zapraszani do wzięcia udziału w pracy, natomiast w grupie eksperymentalnej każdy z nich dostał obietnicę nagrody w wysokości 20zł, którą otrzymywał na początku badania. Grupą badawczą byli studenci zamieszkujący miasto wojewódzkie. Pierwsze zadanie polegało na wypełnieniu kwestionariuszy. Następnie osoby oceniały dwie serie fotografii, pomiędzy którymi wykonywali długie i monotonne zadanie, polegające na obserwowaniu animacji z kulką i wciskaniu jednego klawisza. Jedynym celem tego zadania było znudzenie uczestnika badania. Wyniki potwierdziły przytaczane definicje nudzenia się – osoby zgłosiły znaczny wzrost wrogości, zmęczenia i smutku, spadek pozytywnego afektu oraz przyspieszały udzielanie odpowiedzi. Tak zaobserwowane zachowanie zostało zinterpretowane jako sprzeczne z przyjętą teorią doświadczenia i percepcji piękna. Nagradzanie pieniężne, mające osłabić motywację autonomiczną, nie przyniosło znaczących efektów.........[ENG] The study is focused on a state of boredom, need of autonomy and beauty perception. Each concept has a significant philosophical origin which enables understanding them in an appropriate way.Thus, need of autonomy is one of the key features that are our due as humans, laziness, which makes one closed for goodness, transpires as a state related to the state of boredom, beauty perception turns out to be a complex emotion of excitment. The study was made in which two groups was separated. In a control group people were only invited to take part in the study. In experimental one, a promise of 20zl reward appeared. All participants were students living in a provincial city. The first task was to fill out questionnaires. Then, subjects rated two parts of photos between which they had to complete long and monotonous task. It was based on observing a simple animation and pressing the key. The only aim was to get participants bored. The obtained results confirm the adopted theory of boredom: subjects began to feel more hostile, tired and sad. Moreover, their level of positive mood decreased. The observed accelerated response is interpreted as a behaviour conflicted with the basis of beauty perception and its excitment. There were no significant changes resulting from cash reward aim of which was to decrease the autonomous motivation.
... Although largely indirect and provisional, additional evidence is provided by a number of recent studies which have reported findings explicitly linking urgency-related behaviors to psychometric measures related to trait impulsivity. For example, Berret and others (2018) have reported positive correlations between movement vigor and boredom proneness, a construct that is related to broader trait impulsivity via an intermediary sub-factor variously termed Sensation Seeking or (lack of) Perseverance (Watt & Vodanovich 1992;Whiteside & Lynam 2001). Relatedly, a study by Dalley and Robbins (2017) has shown that impulsive individuals also exhibit markedly steeper temporal discounting rates. ...
Article
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Humans and other animals are motivated to act so as to maximize their subjective reward rate. Here, we propose that reward rate maximization is accomplished by adjusting a context-dependent “urgency signal,” which influences both the commitment to a developing action choice and the vigor with which the ensuing action is performed. We review behavioral and neurophysiological data suggesting that urgency is controlled by projections from the basal ganglia to cerebral cortical regions, influencing neural activity related to decision making as well as activity related to action execution. We also review evidence suggesting that different individuals possess specific policies for adjusting their urgency signal to particular contextual variables, such that urgency constitutes an individual trait which jointly influences a wide range of behavioral measures commonly related to the overall quality and hastiness of one’s decisions and actions. Consequently, we argue that a central mechanism for reward rate maximization provides a potential link between personality traits such as impulsivity, as well as some of the motivation-related symptomology of clinical disorders such as depression and Parkinson’s disease.
... Niektórzy badacze wskazują także na możliwość istnienia korelacji pomiędzy podatnością na nudę i impulsywnością (Watt, Vodanovich, 1992) oraz skłonnością do podejmowania zachowań ryzykownych (Vodanovich, Kass, 1990). Raportowano związki między nudą oraz licznymi zaburzeniami zachowania, np. ...
Article
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Summary. The aim of the article is to present the psychometric properties of Polish adaptation of Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS), developed by Farmer and Sundberg. The participants of two-stage research were students of University of Silesia and adult individuals (N = 622). Previously proposed factor structures of BPS were not confirmed in Polish conditions. Therefore, EFA was conducted, in which seven factors were extracted. According to low amount of items in subscales, the original scale were shortened. In result, the 12-item questionnaire was obtained, including two factors of boredom proneness – Internal and External Stimulation. The two-factor structure was confirmed using CFA in the second study. The 12-item version of BPS was characterised by satisfactory level of concurrent validity and internal consistency. The results suggest that short version of BPS may be used in research as a passable measure of boredom proneness. However, several limitations of the research must be considered. Key words: boredom proneness, boredom, Boredom Proneness Scale, psychometric, measures of boredom
... It can be distinguished from state boredom which is the fleeting feeling of boredom in a given moment (Damon and Louis 2010). Trait boredom has been linked to a number of adverse behaviours and outcomes such as depression and anxiety (Goldberg et al. 2011;LePera 2011;Sommers and Vodanovich 2000), anger and aggression (Dahlen et al. 2005;Rupp and Vodanovich 1997); impulsivity (Watt and Vodanovich 1992), drug and alcohol consumption (LePera 2011), risky driving (Dahlen et al. 2005) and problem gambling (Mercer and Eastwood 2010). According to the attentional theory of boredom proneness, trait boredom is caused by a failure of one's attentional processes (LePera 2011). ...
Article
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Existing research on phubbing, or the act of looking at the smartphone while having a face-to-face conversation with others, highlighted a number of factors that could cause one to use their smartphone while having a face-to-face conversation with others including smartphone addiction, SMS (texting) addiction, social media addiction, Internet addiction and to some extent game addiction. The fear of missing out (FoMO) and self-control have also been found to predict this behaviour. No study in the literature has investigated the relationship between boredom and phubbing. The present study aims at addressing this limitation in the literature by focusing specifically on trait boredom as a possible predictor of phubbing. To examine if trait boredom predicts phubbing frequency, we conducted an online survey with 352 smartphone users who, in addition to reporting on their phubbing frequency, also completed the Short Boredom Proneness Scale. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that trait boredom predicted phubbing frequency even when controlled for age and geographical location. This study is significant not only because it is the first study that found that trait boredom predicts phubbing frequency, but also because future research can now build on this finding to investigate other types of boredom, such as state boredom and leisure boredom. Considering that phubbing has been found to result in a range of negative effects including relationship quality and satisfaction, life satisfaction and mood, this study also highlights a need for future research to examine phubbing as a moderator of the relationship between boredom and these negative effects.
... Boredom in the foreign language classroom remains an undervalued issue that so far has received little attention on the part of teachers and researchers, whereas it has been meticulously studied for a long time in such research fields as psychology, educational psychology and education (Belton & Priyadharshini, 2007;Farmer & Sundberg, 1986;Fogelman, 1976;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992). It has to be realized that, although boredom has been usually neglected by teachers who tend to ascribe it to their pupils' laziness, anxiety, depression or personality factors (Macklem, 2015), it belongs to the most frequently experienced emotions in school settings (Pekrun, Goetz, Daniels, Stupinsky, & Perry, 2010). ...
Chapter
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Kruk, M., & Zawodniak, J. (2018). Boredom in practical English language classes: Insights from interview data. In L. Szymański, J. Zawodniak, A. Łobodziec, & M. Smoluk (Eds.), Interdisciplinary views on the English language, literature and culture (pp. 177–191). Zielona Góra: Uniwersytet Zielonogórski.
... Foreign language teachers have their own ideas of what should be done to maintain their students' interest, involvement and enthusiasm which usually derive from their beliefs about effective teaching. In contrast to the field of SLA, boredom has long been subject of study in psychology, educational psychology and education, the emphasis being laid on investigating its definitions and symptoms as well as on examining whether it should be diagnosed as a trait or as an environmentally determined process (Belton & Priyadharshini, 2007;Farmer & Sundberg, 1986;Fogelman, 1976;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992). Different authors (e.g., Daschmann, Goetz, & Stupinsky, 2011;Goetz, Frenzel, Pekrun, & Hall, 2006;Mann & Robinson, 2009) have shown the pervasiveness of boredom among students, which inspired the present authors to investigate this phenomenon from a second/foreign language (L2) classroom perspective. ...
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Boredom is one of the few learner factors that have not yet received due attention in foreign language pedagogy, although for decades it has been widely discussed from a psychological perspective. The main reason for underestimating boredom in language learning environments is that teachers usually associate it with laziness , anxiety or depression. Consequently, the present study aims at offering reflection on the concept of boredom grounded in applied linguistics with reference to its multidimensional character, cause-and-effect mechanisms as well as its context dependent background. The authors intend to discuss the data obtained from qualitatively and quantitatively examined English philology students' diaries revealing the participants' judgments about situations in which they experienced involvement, self-encouragement or reluctance to do a particular task during different classes including the practical English language course and content subjects. Finally, general comments on the consequences of boredom for the quality of students' work will be made and opportunities for adroitly tackling rather than combating this intriguing phenomenon will be considered.
... Namely, trait boredom arises from a chronic failure to respond successfully to the self-regulatory signal of state boredom. This approach links state and trait boredom in a coherent way and provides a parsimonious account for the myriad relations between state boredom and other negative affective states and outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, increased aggression, impulsivity, increased sensation seeking, and a susceptibility to addictive behaviors from problem gambling to drugs of abuse; Blaszczynski, McConaghy, & Frankova, 1990;Isacescu, Struk, & Danckert, 2016;Iso-Ahola & Crowley, 1991;Johnston & O'Malley, 1986;Mercer & Eastwood, 2010;Rupp & Vodanovich, 1997;Sommers & Vodanovich, 2000;Vodanovich, Verner, & Gilbride, 1991;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992; but see Mercer-Lynn, Flora, Fahlman, & Eastwood, 2011, for discussion of the influence of which boredom measures are used in determining the nature and direction of these associations). These well-replicated associations appear to reveal that trait boredom is a failure of self-regulation. ...
Chapter
Boredom is an ubiquitous and consequential human emotion. This chapter argues that it functions as a self-regulatory signal indicating that our cognitive resources are not engaged. It provides a definition of state boredom before developing the broad notion that trait boredom represents a chronic disposition toward maladaptively responding to the boredom signal (i.e., state boredom). The chapter reviews the nascent research employing functional neuroimaging to understand boredom and casts it as being mired in the “here and now” with no clear avenues for escape. Next, it outlines a specific hypothesis that trait boredom arises in circumstances of regulatory non-fit – when our preferred mode of goal pursuit does not match our current behavior. Finally, the chapter explores the notion that state boredom is not intrinsically good or bad. The signal itself does not evaluate what we are doing in any obvious way but merely indicates that change is needed.
... Zajednička komponenta različitih definicija dosade podrazumeva neprijatno, prolazno afektivno stanje tokom kojeg osoba oseća snažan nedostatak interesa za trenutnu aktivnost (Fisher, 1993). Brojni nalazi pokazuju da osobe koje su sklone da češće doživljavaju stanje dosade češće postižu visoke skorove na merama depresivnosti, usamljenosti, bespomoćnosti, anksioznosti (Farmer & Sundberg, 1986), krivice (McGibony & Carter, 1988), impulsivnosti (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992), kao i da češće imaju poremećaje pažnje (Carriere et al., 2008;Pattyn et al., 2008). Nalazi upućuju i na povezanost dosade sa niskim pozitivnim afektom, te doživljavanjem više negativnog afekta (Vodanovich, Verner, & Gilbride, 1991). ...
Article
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Većina kognitivnih modela pretpostavlja da se depresivno raspoloženje javlja kao odgovor na određeni stresni podsticaj iz sredine čak i niskog intenziteta, dok je pretpostavka neurobioloških modela da proces koji dovodi do depresivnog raspoloženja može biti pokrenut i u odsustvu bilo kakvih zahteva ili podsticaja iz okruženja. U ovom istraživanju su proveravane pretpostavke koje proističu iz dve relativno nezavisne teorijske perspektive – kognitivne i neurokognitivne, a koje se tiču situacionih činilaca koji, zavisno od nivoa vulnerabilnosti, dovode do afektivnih promena, i eventualno mogu otpočeti razvoj depresivnih simptoma. Uzorak je bio sačinjen od 72 ispitanika prosečne starosti 25 godina (SD = 4.18), uz upadljivo veću zastupljenost ispitanika ženskog (75.3%) pola. U prvoj grupi (N = 36), ispitanici su podvrgnuti standardnoj proceduri indukcije afekta koristeći muzički metod. U drugoj grupi primenjena je procedura bihejvioralne paradigme mirovanja (N = 36). Rezultati su pokazali da su obe procedure dovele do promena u raspoloženju, a dobijen je i značajan efekat interakcije eksperimentalnog uslova, vremena merenja, i vulnerabilnosti, kada je u pitanju negativni afekat. Obe eksperimentalne procedure dovele su, u obe grupe, do značajnog pada u nivou pozitivnog afekta. Promene u afektu nastupile su i kod vulnerabilnih i kod nevulnerabilnih ispitanika. Međutim, kod vulnerabilnih ispitanika koji su imali zadatak mirovanja došlo je i do blagog povišenja negativnog afekta, koje nije registrovano u grupi sa indukcijom afekta bez obzira na vulnerabilnost. Dobijeni rezultati daju delimičnu potvrdu kognitivnim, ali i neurobiološkim modelima.
... Both trait and state boredom have been linked to negative outcomes. It has been suggested that trait boredom is a risk factor for anxiety and depression (LePera, 2011), negative social orientation, such as alienation or paranoia (Leong & Schneller, 1993), impulsivity (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992), and dysfunctional behaviours, e.g., pathological gambling (Blaszczynski, McConaghy, & Frankova, 1990). Similarly, state boredom has been associated with numerous adverse outcomes; for example, in the context of work, boredom has-perhaps unsurprisingly-been connected to dissatisfaction with most aspects of work (Kass, Vodanovich, & Callender, 2001), as well as poorer performance as rated by managers (Watt & Hargis, 2010). ...
Chapter
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Positive psychology has become increasingly amenable and open to critical perspectives, including with respect to the very notions of “positive” and “negative.” This problematizing of the “positive” has been referred to as “second wave” positive psychology (Lomas & Ivtzan, 2015; (Ivtzan, Lomas, Hefferon, & Worth, 2015)—and previously as positive psychology “2.0” (Wong, 2011)—as elucidated in the introduction to this section. The rationale for these labels is that the initial “first wave” of the field was essentially founded on a binary positive–negative construction: Certain phenomena were viewed as positive, and hence desirable, with others therefore being negative, and hence undesirable. However, it is increasingly clear that such categorical appraisals are far from straightforward: ostensibly positive phenomena can be detrimental to wellbeing, while seemingly negative phenomena may be conducive to it. To some extent, this critical appreciation was implicit within the field from the beginning (e.g., Seligman, 1990). However, this more nuanced appreciation tended to be missing from the overarching “message” of the field. Now, though, there is a growing recognition of the complex “dialectics” of flourishing, involving an intricate interplay between seemingly negative and positive phenomena (e.g., Kashdan & Biswas-Diener, 2014). This chapter provides an illustration of this second wave approach in the form of a case study on an emotion that is generally regarded as negative and undesirable, namely boredom.
... Low environmental stimulation is also likely to distort information processing, possibly by shifting attentive focus towards interoceptive stimuli and the pursuit of alternative goals (Bench and Lench, 2013). In keeping with this idea, boredom is associated with negative self-awareness (Seib and Vodanovich, 1998) and a greater risk for impulsivity (Watt and Vodanovich, 1992). While the association between boredom and tics has been shown in a small subset of TS patients in several studies (Robertson et al., 2002;Eapen et al., 2004), the neurobiological underpinnings of this link remain elusive. ...
Article
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by multiple, recurring motor and phonic tics. Rich empirical evidence shows that the severity of tics and associated manifestations is increased by several stressors and contextual triggers; however, the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for symptom exacerbation in TS remain poorly understood. This conceptual gap partially reflects the high phenotypic variability in tics, as well as the existing difficulties in operationalizing and standardizing stress and its effects in a clinical setting. Animal models of TS may be highly informative tools to overcome some of these limitations; these experimental preparations have already provided critical insights on key aspects of TS pathophysiology, and may prove useful to identify the neurochemical alterations induced by different stressful contingencies. In particular, emerging knowledge on the role of contextual triggers in animal models of TS may inform the development of novel pharmacological interventions to reduce tic fluctuations in this disorder.
... Vodanovich et al. (1997) only related academic procrastination with boredom proneness, without controlling for or relating other factors such as attention deficits. Previous research indicated that boredom proneness was positively related to inattention (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992;Zuckerman, 1991). Attention deficits are characterized by serious and persistent difficulties in three major areas: attention span, impulse control, and, on occasion, hyperactivity. ...
Article
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It is possible that procrastination may be related to an inability to stay focused on a task and a need for frequent sensory stimulation. In the present correlational study, 142 young adults (80 women, 62 men: M age = 21.1, SD = 4.7) self-reported procrastination tendencies (avoidance, arousal, and decisional), attention deficits, boredom proneness, intelligence and self-esteem. Partial correlates (controlling for intelligence) indicated that all three forms of procrastination were related to boredom proneness, attention deficits, and low self-esteem. Factor analysis, however, indicated that no procrastination type loaded with attention deficits or intelligence, and only decisional procrastination loaded with self-esteem and boredom proneness. These results suggest that only cognitive forms of procrastination (indecision) may be related to a need for sensory stimulation, and that among normal adults procrastination is not associated with attention deficits.
... Studies of trait boredom have consistently found that men score higher than women (Farmer & Sundberg, 1986;Sundberg, Latkin, Farmer, & Saoud, 1991;Vodanovich & Kass, 1990;Wallace, Vodanovich, & Restino, 2003;Zuckerman, 1979;Zuckerman, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1978;cf. Watt & Vodanovich, 1992) and that Blacks register higher in boredom than Whites (Wegner, Flisher, Muller, & Lombard, 2006;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992; cf., see Kurtz & Zuckerman, 1978). The association between boredom and educational attainment is inconsistent, but tends to show that boredom prone individuals have lower academic achievement (Fogelman, 1976;Mann & Robinson, 2009;Maroldo, 1986;Robinson, 1975), including higher dropout rates (Wegner, Flisher, Chikobvu, Lombard, & King, 2008). ...
Article
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We report new evidence on the emotional, demographic, and situational correlates of boredom from a rich experience sample capturing 1.1 million emotional and time-use reports from 3,867 U.S. adults. Subjects report boredom in 2.8% of the 30-min sampling periods, and 63% of participants report experiencing boredom at least once across the 10-day sampling period. We find that boredom is more likely to co-occur with negative, rather than positive, emotions, and is particularly predictive of loneliness, anger, sadness, and worry. Boredom is more prevalent among men, youths, the unmarried, and those of lower income. We find that differences in how such demographic groups spend their time account for up to one third of the observed differences in overall boredom. The importance of situations in predicting boredom is additionally underscored by the high prevalence of boredom in specific situations involving monotonous or difficult tasks (e.g., working, studying) or contexts where one's autonomy might be constrained (e.g., time with coworkers, afternoons, at school). Overall, our findings are consistent with cognitive accounts that cast boredom as emerging from situations in which engagement is difficult, and are less consistent with accounts that exclusively associate boredom with low arousal or with situations lacking in meaning. (PsycINFO Database Record
... One potential explanation for this finding is that the boys were bored by the time they were administered the second control condition and increased their motor activity in an attempt to increase excitement and/or overall stimulation (i.e., sensation seeking; Hampson, Tildesley, Andrews, Barckley, & Peterson, 2013). This explanation is supported by previous literature that suggests a significant positive relationship between boredom proneness and motor impulsiveness (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992). Alternatively, the increase in motor activity exhibited during the Control 2 condition, relative to the Control 1 condition, may be explained by a gradual depletion of cognitive resources (Baddeley, 2003;Muraven & Baumeister, 2000) taking place between the Control 1 and Control 2 conditions (i.e., throughout the completion of experimental tasks). ...
Article
Changes in motor activity were examined across control and executive function (EF) tasks that differ with regard to demands placed on visuospatial working memory (VS-WM) and self-control processes. Motor activity was measured via actigraphy in 8- to 12-year-old boys with (n = 15) and without (n = 17) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during the completion of VS-WM, self-control, and control tasks. Results indicated that boys with ADHD, relative to typically developing boys, exhibited greater motor activity across tasks, and both groups’ activity was greater during EF tasks relative to control tasks. Lastly, VS-WM performance, relative to self-control performance, accounted for significantly more variance in activity across both VS-WM and self-control tasks. Collectively, findings suggest that ADHD-related hyperactivity is positively related to increased cognitive demands and appears to be better explained by deficient VS-WM rather than insufficient self-control.
... In turn, both trait and state forms of boredom have been associated with a host of negative outcomes. For instance, trait boredom has been identified as a risk factor for anxiety and depression (LePera, 2011), negative social orientation, such as alienation or paranoia (Leong & Schneller, 1993), impulsivity (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992), and dysfunctional behaviours, e.g., pathological gambling (Blaszczynski et al., 1990). Similarly, state boredom has been linked to multiple adverse outcomes; for example, in the context of work, boredom has unsurprisingly been connected to greater dissatisfaction with most aspects of work, from work itself, to pay and co-workers (Kass et al., 2001), as well as poorer performance as rated by managers (Watt & Hargis, 2010). ...
Article
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Boredom is almost universally regarded as a dysphoric mental state, characterised by features such as disengagement and low arousal. However, in certain quarters (e.g., Zen Buddhism), boredom is seen as potentially having great value and even importance. The current study sought to explore boredom through a case study involving introspective phenomenology. The author created conditions in which he would experience boredom for an hour, and recorded his experience in real-time using a variant of the Experiencing Sampling Method. The data were analysed using an adaptation of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results indicated that the state of boredom contained three main sources of value: (a) altered perception of time; (b) awakened curiosity about the environment; and (c) exploration of self. Consequently, the paper offers a re-appraisal of boredom, suggesting that rather than necessarily being a negative state, if engaged with, boredom has the potential to be a positive and rewarding experience.
... Like impulsivity, boredom proneness has also been associated with risky behaviours, including pathological gambling (Blaszczynsky, McConaghy, & Frankova, 1990) and unsafe driving (Dahlen, Martin, Ragan, & Kuhlman, 2005). Although impulsivity and boredom proneness are conceptually related (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992), it is also possible that these factors have independent effects on risk-taking behaviour. Moreover, there does not appear to have been any prior research examining associations between boredom proneness and tattooing. ...
Article
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Emerging evidence suggests that there are few differences in the personality profiles of tattooed and non-tattooed adults. To add to this literature, we compared tattooed and non-tattooed adults in terms of their willingness to take risks in multiple domains, as well as their impulsivity and boredom proneness. Adults from central Europe (N = 1006) completed measures of the afore-mentioned concepts and reported the number of tattoos they had. In total, 19.1% of respondents had at least one tattoo, with no significant differences as a function of sex, nationality, education, or marital status. We also found that tattooed adults had higher motor impulsivity and were more willing to take risks in recreational and health and safety domains. However, effect sizes of these differences were negligible to small. Among tattooed adults, there were no significant associations between the number of tattoos possessed and any of the measured variables. These results suggest that tattooed and non-tattooed adults nowadays are more similar than different.
... Boredom proneness has been linked to a myriad of adverse behaviors including pathological gambling [11], drug [12] and alcohol consumption [13], and somatization [14]. In addition, it is also correlated with depression and anxiety [13], impulsivity [15], procrastination and a lack of autonomy (see [4] for a literature review of the implications of boredom proneness). Specifically, there are several correlates of boredom proneness that can be of particular interest to ubiquitous computing. ...
Conference Paper
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Mobile technology is becoming a loyal companion in our lives. It is used for increasing amounts of time during the day and night, enabling the development of intelligent user interfaces that characterize their users' traits and adapt to them. In this paper, we show how an individual's tendency to experience boredom, i.e. the personal trait called boredom proneness, affects the use of technology – specifically a smartphone. We develop machine learning models to automatically classify individuals into high/low boredom proneness from their typical daily patterns of smartphone use. We thus propose boredom proneness as a trait with high potential to enable the design of personalized mobile services that are more meaningful to their users.
... The Boredom Proneness Scale, or BPS (Farmer & Sundberg, 1986), measures an individual's likelihood of experiencing boredom from a trait perspective. Boredom proneness has been associated with mood disorders (Watt & Vodanovich, 1992), anger and aggression (Dahlen, Martin, Ragan, & Kuhlman, 2004), pathological gambling (Blaszczynski, McConaghy, & Frankova, 1990), lower job satisfaction (Kass, Vodanovich, & Callander, 2001), decreased life satisfaction (Farmer & Sundberg), higher levels of sensation seeking attributes (Zuckerman, 1979), and lower levels of autonomy (Farmer & Sundberg). Larson and Richards (1991) used experience sampling methodology to collect boredom measures in middle school students. ...
Article
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Reducing adolescent substance use is important in South Africa, a developing nation with increasing adolescent substance use, lack of leisure/recreation opportunities, and high rates of adolescent discretionary time. Previous research suggests leisure boredom and adolescent substance use co-occur in this setting. Using longitudinal data from 2,580 South African adolescents as they progressed from the 8th to 11th grade, the current study disentangles the associations of trait and state leisure boredom with substance use, and examines how ability to restructure boring situations moderates those associations. On average, individuals with higher trait boredom used more substances, and on occasions when state boredom was high, the prototypical adolescent used more substances. Although restructuring did not moderate these associations, greater ability was associated with lower substance use independent of leisure boredom. Findings illustrated the importance of considering how trait and state aspects of leisure may contribute to adolescents’ risk behavior and addressed through preventive intervention.
... Studies in which boredom propensity has been correlated with impulsivity as a personality dimension include those of Eysenck and Zuckerman (1978), who found modest correlations between boredom susceptibility, as measured by Zuckerman's (1979) Boredom Susceptibility Scale and Eysenck's Extraversion dimension, which indexes sociability and impulsivity (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1975). In a more direct analysis, Watt and Vodanovich (1992) found a correlation of r = .56 between boredom proneness, as measured by the Boredom proneness Scale (Farmer & Sundberg, 1986) and impulsivity, as measured by the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (Patton, Stanford, & Barratt, 1995). ...
Article
A variety of causes of boredom have been proposed including environmental, motivational, emotional, and cognitive factors. Here, we explore four potential cognitive causes of boredom: inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and executive dysfunction. Specifically, we examine the unique and common associations between these factors and boredom propensity. Recent research has established that the two most commonly used measures of boredom propensity (BPS and BSS) are not measuring the same underlying construct. Thus, a second goal of the present project is to determine the unique and common roles of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and poor executive system functioning in predicting the BPS and BSS specifically. The findings reveal that inattention, hyperactivity and executive dysfunction predict boredom propensity, with shared variance accounting for the greater part of this effect. Further, executive dysfunction and hyperactivity uniquely predict boredom propensity as measured by the BPS and BSS, respectively.
... For instance, boredom has consistently been shown to be significantly related to negative affect such as depression, anxiety, and anger (Ahmed, 1990;Gana & Akremi, 1998;Gordon, Wilkinson, McGown, & Jovanoska, 1997;Rupp & Vodanovich, 1997;Sommers and Vodanovich, 2000;Vodanovich, Verner, & Gilbride, 1991). It has also been associated with detrimental behaviors such as pathological gambling, impulsivity, and procrastination (e.g., Blaszczynski, McConaghy, & Frankova, 1990;Blunt & Pychyl, 1998;Leong & Schneller, 1993;Vodanovich & Rupp, 1999;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992a), and with poor task/work performance (Kass, Vodanovich, & Callander;Kass, Vodanovich, Stanny, & Taylor;Sawin and Scerbo;1995;Watt & Hargis, 2009). ...
Article
The present study investigated cultural differences in boredom proneness scores. The participants consisted of undergraduate students from the United States (N = 449) and Germany (N = 767) who completed the 28- item Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS). The results indicated that students from the United States possessed significantly higher BPS scores than their German counterparts. Specifically, U.S. participants had greater scores on the BPS subscales of External Stimulation, Affective Responses, and Perception of Time. In addition, a main effect for gender was found with males possessing higher BPS total scores than females. Males had greater scores on the BPS subscales of External Stimulation, Time, and Constraint. The findings are discussed as to how they contribute to past research examining the role of culture and gender on boredom proneness levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of North American Journal of Psychology is the property of North American Journal of Psychology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
... Participants rated their agreement with statements on a seven-point likert scale. Responses were summed to obtain a score ranging from 28 to 196, with higher scores reflecting greater boredom proneness (sommers and Vodanovich 2000;Vodanovich et al. 1991;Watt and Vodanovich 1992). ...
Article
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Research on the experience and expression of boredom is underdeveloped. The purpose of the present study was to explore the psychophysiological signature of the subjective experience of boredom. Healthy undergraduates (n = 72) viewed previously validated and standardized video clips to induce boredom, sadness, and a neutral affective state, while their heart rate (HR), skin conductance levels (SCL), and cortisol levels were measured. Boredom yielded dynamic psychophysiological responses that differed from the other emotional states. Of particular interest, the physiological signature of boredom relative to sadness was characterized by rising HR, decreased SCL, and increased cortisol levels. This pattern of results suggests that boredom may be associated with both increased arousal and difficulties with sustained attention. These findings may help to resolve divergent conceptualizations of boredom in the extant literature and, ultimately, to enhance our understanding and treatment of clinical syndromes in which self-reported boredom is a prominent symptom.
... Quant aux différences interindividuelles et interculturelles portant sur cette disposition à l'ennui, elles suscitent un réel débat, et nécessitent des explorations supplémentaires. Outre le fait qu'elle est associée au sentiment d'insécurité, à la suggestibilité (McGiboney et Carter, 1988), à l'extraversion (Smith, Kamel Gana et Malek Akremi 1981), et à l'impulsivité (Watt et Vodanovich, 1992), la disposition à l'ennui semble être plus prononcée chez les hommes que chez les femmes (Vodanovich et Kass, 1990; Sundberg et al., 1991), chez les jeunes que chez les vieux (Vodanovich et Kass, 1990), chez les sourds que chez les entendants (Watt et Davis, 1991), chez les Asiatiques et les Orientaux que chez les Américains et les Australiens (Sundberg et al., 1991). Posséder une mesure valable pour poursuivre des travaux sur ce concept, tel était le but de l'adaptation en langue française et la validation du Boredom Proneness Scale. ...
Article
French adaptation and validation of the Boredom Proneness Scale (BP). This research presents a validation of an adaptation in French of the Boredom Proneness Scale (BP) intitled «Echelle de disposition à l'ennui» (EDE). Three studies were conducted to evaluate psychometric properties, construct validity and structural validity. A first study with student participants demonstrated acceptable fidelity (test-retest reliability, internal consistency...) and validity indices. However a confirmatory factor analysis did not support the unidimensional structure ofthe Boredom Proneness Scale. The second study with a sample of drug addicts assessed the validity of the scale using the « Known-Groups» method. Results supported the construct validity of the scale. A third study examined elderly persons. Results of this study point to the reliability and validity of the French version of the Boredom Proneness Scale. Furthermore, a bidimensionality of the boredom construct was found through an exploratory factor analysis. Key words : boredom, Boredom Proneness, French adaptation, validation.
... A greater understanding of boredom is warranted, given the myriad social and psychological issues with which this construct has been linked. For instance, boredom has been significantly related to depression, anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness, hostility, and impulsivity (see Farmer & Sundberg, 1986;Vodanovich, Verner, & Gilbride, 1991;Watt & Vodanovich, 1992b). Boredom has also been shown to be correlated with drug use (Samuels & Samuels, 1974), pathological gambling (Blaszczynski, McConaghy, & Frankova, 1990), eating disorders (Abramson & Stinson, 1977;Ganley, 1989), job dissatisfaction (O'Hanlon, 1981), and engaging in unprotected sex (Arnett, 1990). ...
Article
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We describe across three studies (N = 628) the development and initial validation of the Sexual Boredom Scale (SBS), a self‐report measure of the tendency to experience boredom with the sexual aspects of one's life. The 18‐item scale demonstrates high internal consistency (rs = .92 to .95) and one‐month test‐retest (r = .81) reliability. Validity evidence for the SBS is supported by positive correlations with the following measures: the Sexual‐Depression and Sexual‐Preoccupation subscales of the Sexuality Scale (Snell & Papini, 1989); the Index of Sexual Satisfaction, a measure of dyadic sexual discord (Hudson, Harrison, & Crosscup, 1981); the Boredom Proneness Scale (Farmer & Sundberg, 1986); and the Boredom Susceptibility, Experience Seeking, and Disinhibition subscales of the Sensation Seeking Scale (Zuckerman, 1979). The SBS was nonsignificantly correlated with sexual esteem, thrill and adventure seeking, and social desirability, and negatively associated with global life satisfaction. Overall, men possessed significantly greater sexual boredom scores than did women. Age differences, clinical applications, and directions for future study are discussed.
Article
Alarm spreads among potential victims of domestic violence as cases multiply during the confinement required by COVID19, and authorities face the growing frustration of not knowing how to respond. The question of what to do begs the question of why the lockdown increases domestic violence. Loss of jobs, alcohol, and psychological stress are reasonable answers; but they are predictable and don't suggest new approaches for remedy. This essay considers an unsuspected if obvious trigger of violence at home. Boredom. It is a stressor that becomes intolerable as the pandemic lockdown continues. Since boredom is a volatile condition associated with the lack of engagement, and since boredom is resolved either creatively or violently, an evident program for primary prevention would be to provide disgruntled and potentially aggressive intimate partners with engaging activities. These activities address a responsibility of the State. When the State turns homes into places of involuntary confinement, it levies serious limitations on a range of human rights. Therefore, the State's obligation to address risks, including boredom, is a corollary to restricting freedom of movement. Perhaps the strategy to provide programs will face objections and skepticism. Why should potential perpetrators of violence be beneficiaries of pleasurable programs? And how can pleasure be a remedy when it carries a stigma of irresponsibility or sin? But a practical response to the spike in domestic violence will have to overcome this irrational stigma to become more strategic than moralizing (Sommer, 2014). We should address the spiral of aggression in ways that are effective, not reactive.
Article
The state of boredom presents a conundrum: When bored, we want to engage with an activity, but we don't want to engage with whatever is currently available. This conflict is exacerbated when external factors impose restrictions on the range of behaviors we can engage in, which is precisely the scenario we are currently facing, at a global level, during this period of social isolation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected data from 924 North American participants (530 Male, Mean age = 37.7 years) using the internet-based Mturk platform to examine the relation between self-reports of boredom proneness (using the Short Boredom-Proneness Scale) and individual responses to questions about compliance with social-distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our sample replicated recent findings in boredom research, including a negative correlation between boredom proneness and self-control. We also provide novel evidence that highly boredom prone people have been more likely to break the rules of social isolation in a variety of ways (e.g., fewer hours spent in social isolation, poor adherence to social distancing as evidenced by increased likelihood of holding a social gathering and coming into proximity with more people than recommended). We further demonstrated that boredom proneness substantially mediates the association between self-control and rule-breaking. These results indicate that boredom proneness is a critical factor to consider when encouraging adherence to social isolation.
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