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Anderson AJ, Perone S. How Did We Get So Bored? A Bioecological Model of the Development of Boredom. Psychol Rep 2024:332941241275590. [PMID: 39155500 DOI: 10.1177/00332941241275590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Boredom is a negative emotion that most people experience on occasion. However, boredom is also present on a trait level. People high in trait boredom experience boredom more frequently or have difficulty tolerating it. Individuals high in trait boredom are more likely to experience depression or anxiety or engage in risk behaviors. Little is known about the development of trait boredom. We propose a bioecological model of the development of trait boredom in which it originates from early individual differences in temperament and executive control. Trait boredom is shaped over time through interactions between the child and their developmental context, such as parents, teachers, and neighborhoods. Boredom can also spur creativity. Capitalizing on the creative side of boredom may help promote low levels of trait boredom and healthy coping. We provide a roadmap to study the development of trait boredom to advance our understanding of how it emerges and develops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sammy Perone
- Department of Human Development, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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2
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Maftei A, Merlici IA, Opariuc-Dan C. Fun in a Box? Loneliness and Adolescents' Problematic Smartphone Use: A Moderated Mediation Analysis of the Underlying Mechanisms. Psychol Rep 2024:332941241226681. [PMID: 38217416 DOI: 10.1177/00332941241226681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Addictive smartphone use is one of the most concerning behaviors among adolescents. The present study investigated the indirect effects of self-esteem and boredom proneness and the moderating role of the need to belong on the link between loneliness and addictive smartphone use (ASU). Our sample included 357 adolescents aged 12 to 19 (Mage = 15.56, SD = 1.01, 57.42% males) from ten public schools in Romania. We used a moderated mediation approach, with moderation of the both second mediation paths and the direct effect path. Results suggested that the influence of loneliness on ASU was statistically significant and partially mediated both by self-esteem and boredom proneness. Adolescents' need to belong significantly moderated the positive association between boredom proneness and ASU, and the direct negative association between loneliness and ASU; however, it did not moderate the negative association between self-esteem and ASU. Thus, high levels of the need to belong also increased the influence of boredom proneness on AUS and had a marginally significant effect on the relation between loneliness and ASU. These results suggested that adolescents' need to belong, self-esteem, and boredom proneness might contribute to developing ASU. Interventions centered around countering the adverse effects of excessive technology use ought to consider group activities that facilitate social bonding to satisfy the participants' need to belong, reduce their levels of boredom, and, thus, reduce the risk of developing ASU symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Maftei
- Department of Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania
| | - Ioan-Alex Merlici
- Department of Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, Romania
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3
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Gaynor N, Fitzgerald L. Mind-Wandering and Its Relationship With Psychological Wellbeing and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptomatology in the Context of Covid-19. Psychol Rep 2023:332941231203563. [PMID: 37787173 DOI: 10.1177/00332941231203563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Mind-wandering (MW) as a research topic has received considerable attention over the last several decades. The recent differentiation between spontaneous and deliberate MW has suggested a particular effect of the former on psychopathology; in that increased spontaneous MW may precede mental illness. The present study sought to explore MW as a potential contributing factor to poor mental health in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. More specifically, we sought to determine firstly, whether the effects of MW frequency, type and content on subjective psychological wellbeing was consistent with previous findings after controlling for the impacts of Covid-related stress. Secondly, previous research has demonstrated an effect of both Covid-stress and spontaneous MW on the experience of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology (OCS), and so the present study explored this relationship further by assessing whether Covid-stress mediated the relationship between spontaneous MW and OCS. Participants completed measures of MW, OCS and psychological wellbeing through an online questionnaire. The results indicated that increased spontaneous MW was indicative of both poorer subjective psychological wellbeing and OCS, with Covid-stress partially mediating the relationship between spontaneous MW and OCS. Our findings provide further support for the adverse effect of unintentional MW on psychological wellbeing, as well as for the differentiation between both forms of the cognitive phenomenon. Additionally, they provide an important insight into one of the factors that may have preceded poor mental health among the Irish population during Covid-19. Future research may build upon the present study by exploring similar relationships among clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh Gaynor
- School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lisa Fitzgerald
- School of Psychology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
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4
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Zhong BL, Yuan MD, Li F, Sun P. The Psychological Network of Loneliness Symptoms Among Chinese Residents During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:3767-3776. [PMID: 37705850 PMCID: PMC10497046 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s424565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Social distancing measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to increased levels of loneliness, but the specific interactions between loneliness symptoms in the context of the pandemic remain unknown. This study characterized the psychological network of loneliness symptoms in residents during the initial wave of COVID-19 outbreak in China. Patients and Methods The study recruited 8472 Chinese residents (61.5% women, aged 33.0±10.6 years) through online snowball sampling. The Six-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) was used to measure loneliness symptoms. Central symptoms of and bridge symptoms between emotional and social loneliness subscales were identified based on centrality and bridge centrality indices, respectively. Network stability was examined using the case-dropping procedures. Results The nodes in the loneliness network were separated into two groups, corresponding to the social and emotional loneliness domains of the DJGLS. The strongest direction association was between "no reliable people" and "no trustworthy people" (edge weight=0.546). "No trustworthy people" has the highest node strength (1.047) in the loneliness network, followed by "emptiness sense" (0.767) and "no reliable people" (0.749). "Feeling of rejection" (1.672) and "no close people" (0.403) showed the first and second highest bridge strengths, respectively. Both the stability and accuracy tests supported robustness of the whole network. Conclusion Interventions targeting central symptoms "no trustworthy people" and "emptiness sense" and central bridge symptom "feeling of rejection" may be effective for alleviating the overall level of loneliness in pandemic-affected Chinese residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Liang Zhong
- Department of Psychiatry, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Meng-Di Yuan
- Research Center for Psychological and Health Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Huangpu District Mental Health Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peng Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, Huangpu District Mental Health Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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5
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Cannito L, Ceccato I, Annunzi E, Bortolotti A, D’Intino E, Palumbo R, D’Addario C, Di Domenico A, Palumbo R. Bored with boredom? Trait boredom predicts internet addiction through the mediating role of attentional bias toward social networks. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1179142. [PMID: 37746057 PMCID: PMC10513058 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1179142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Internet addiction is an emerging issue, impacting people's psychosocial functioning and well-being. However, the prevalence and the mechanisms underlying internet misuse are largely unknown. As with other behavioral addiction disorders, the increase and persistence of internet addiction may be favored by negative affect such as boredom. In this study, we examined the role of boredom susceptibility, as a personality trait, in predicting the risk of internet addiction. Furthermore, we analyzed the attentional mechanisms that may exacerbate dysfunctional internet behaviors. Specifically, we assessed the mediating role of attentional bias toward social media cues on the relation between boredom susceptibility and internet addiction. Sixty-nine young adults were administered a dot-probe task assessing internet-related attentional bias (AB) and questionnaires measuring internet addiction (IAT) and boredom susceptibility (BS-BSSS). Correlation and t-test analyses confirmed that the tendency to experience boredom and selective attention toward social network information was related to internet addiction. Furthermore, the mediation model indicated that AB fully explains the link between BS-BSSS and IAT. The study highlighted the crucial role of selective attentional processing behind internet addiction. The current results are useful for both researchers and clinicians as they suggest that intervention programs for internet addiction should include strategies to cope with dysfunctional cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loreta Cannito
- Department of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Chieti, Italy
| | - Irene Ceccato
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Eugenia Annunzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bortolotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Eleonora D’Intino
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Rocco Palumbo
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Claudio D’Addario
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alberto Di Domenico
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Riccardo Palumbo
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Chieti, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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Yang Y, Luo Y, Chen M, Zhai J. Life Events, Boredom Proneness and Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis Based on Latent Growth Modeling (LGM). Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:2407-2416. [PMID: 37426385 PMCID: PMC10327903 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s416183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Mobile phone addiction has motivated a widespread concern in recent years. From a developmental perspective, this study explored the predictive relations between life events, boredom proneness (BP), and mobile phone addiction tendency (MPAT) among undergraduate students. It also tested the longitudinal mediation of BP between life events and MPAT. Methods Five hundred and eighty-four undergraduate students completed the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale, the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, and the Boredom Proneness Scale-Short Form. A longitudinal mediation analysis based on latent growth modeling was conducted to test the hypothesized relationships among life events, BP and MPAT. Results Latent growth modeling (LGM) showed that the BP and MPAT of undergraduate students both increased linearly. A longitudinal model based on LGM showed that negative life events both directly and indirectly affected the initial level and the growth rate of the MPAT through the mediating effect of the initial level of BP. Conclusion These results reveal that negative life events are an indicator of the development of MPAT. It has practical implications for calling for adopting health coping styles when facing negative life events. Supported for reducing college students' boredom proneness in order to lessen the tendency towards mobile phone addiction to improve their mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuntong Yang
- Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanhong Luo
- Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhai
- Department of Applied Psychology, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
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7
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Danckert J, Elpidorou A. In search of boredom: beyond a functional account. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:494-507. [PMID: 36922277 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Boredom has been characterized as a crisis of meaning, a failure of attention, and a call to action. Yet as a self-regulatory signal writ-large, we are still left with the question of what makes any given boredom episode meaningless, disengaging, or a prompt to act. We propose that boredom is an affective signal that we have deviated from an optimal ('Goldilocks') zone of cognitive engagement. Such deviations may be due to a perceived lack of meaning, arise as a consequence of struggles we are experiencing in attending to a task, or be interpreted as a blunt call to find something different to engage with. Thus, the key to understanding boredom lies in its role in keeping us cognitively engaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Andreas Elpidorou
- Department of Philosophy, University of Louisville, 308 Bingham Humanities Building, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
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The Role of Pre-Pandemic Mental Health Status and Personality Traits on Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Lockdown among Italian Young Adults. Behav Sci (Basel) 2023; 13:bs13020141. [PMID: 36829370 PMCID: PMC9951855 DOI: 10.3390/bs13020141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic imposed changes on day-to-day activities and had a detrimental psychological effect on the population, especially among vulnerable individuals, such as adolescents and young adults. The current study aimed to explore variables associated with anxiety, depressive and somatic symptoms in a sample of 608 Italian young adults aged 18 to 25. Data were collected using an online questionnaire administered two months into the COVID-19 lockdown, which explored several areas including sociodemographic information, pre-pandemic and current psychological distress, pre-pandemic and current levels of loneliness, and the traits of intolerance of uncertainty and boredom susceptibility. Results highlighted that having pre-existing mental health issues, being female, and the personality traits of intolerance to uncertainty and boredom susceptibility all played a role in the psychological distress experienced during the pandemic. COVID-19 contributed to negative impacts on young adults' mental health, highlighting the necessity to develop protective psychological intervention tailored for this vulnerable population.
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9
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Hughes E. Meaninglessness and monotony in pandemic boredom. PHENOMENOLOGY AND THE COGNITIVE SCIENCES 2023; 22:1-15. [PMID: 36713814 PMCID: PMC9857899 DOI: 10.1007/s11097-023-09888-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Boredom is an affective experience that can involve pervasive feelings of meaninglessness, emptiness, restlessness, frustration, weariness and indifference, as well as the slowing down of time. An increasing focus of research in many disciplines, interest in boredom has been intensified by the recent Covid-19 pandemic, where social distancing measures have induced both a widespread loss of meaning and a significant disturbance of temporal experience. This article explores the philosophical significance of this aversive experience of 'pandemic boredom.' Using Heidegger's work as a unique vantage point, this article draws on survey data collected by researchers in an ongoing project titled 'Experiences of Social Distancing During the Covid-19 Pandemic' to give an original phenomenological interpretation of the meaninglessness and monotony of pandemic boredom. On a Heideggerian interpretation, pandemic boredom involves either a situative confrontation with relative meaninglessness that upholds our absorption in the everyday world, or an existential confrontation with absolute meaninglessness that forces us to take up the question of our existence. Arguing that boredom during the pandemic makes this distinction difficult to sustain, I consider some of the ways in which pandemic boredom might be seen to expose and then exceed the distinctive methodological limitations of Heidegger's philosophical interpretation of boredom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Hughes
- Department of Philosophy, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD UK
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10
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Li H. Life is either a daring adventure, or it is boring: The impact of COVID‐19 on immoral and nonmoral risk taking behaviors. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Heng Li
- Center for Linguistics, Literary and Cultural Studies Sichuan International Studies University Chongqing China
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11
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Bambrah V, Wyman A, Eastwood JD. A longitudinal approach to understanding boredom during pandemics: The predictive roles of trauma and emotion dysregulation. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1050073. [PMID: 36710786 PMCID: PMC9880451 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1050073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Research during the COVID-19 pandemic and prior outbreaks suggest that boredom is linked to poor compliance with critical lifesaving social distancing and quarantine guidelines, as well as to numerous mental health difficulties. As such, continued understanding on what contributes to boredom is imperative. Extending beyond the roles of constraint, monotony, and trait dispositions (e.g., individual differences in boredom propensity), and informed by prior theories on the emotional contributors of boredom, the current longitudinal study examined the predictive role of "pandemic trauma" on people's boredom, with a focus on how emotion dysregulation mediates this relationship. Community participants (N = 345) completed questionnaires three times across an average of 3 1/2 weeks, rating their pandemic trauma, emotion dysregulation, and boredom over the past week each time. Pandemic trauma was assessed with items querying exposure to coronavirus, as well as the financial, resource-related, and interpersonal pandemic stressors that participants experienced. Emotion dysregulation was assessed with the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Boredom was assessed with the short-form Multidimensional State Boredom Scale. The results of a theory-informed mediation model showed that participants' pandemic trauma at Time 1 positively and modestly predicted their boredom at Time 3 and that this relationship was partially and moderately mediated by participants' lack of emotional clarity and difficulties with engaging in goal-directed behaviors at Time 2. When people experience pandemic-related trauma, they subsequently struggle to understand their feelings and engage in goal-oriented actions, and, in turn, feel more bored. Theoretical and clinical implications as related to the emotional underpinnings of boredom are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerpal Bambrah
- Boredom Lab, Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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12
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Boredom Proneness on Chinese College Students' Phubbing during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Mediating Effects of Self-Control and Bedtime Procrastination. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING 2023; 2023:4134283. [PMID: 36818383 PMCID: PMC9931466 DOI: 10.1155/2023/4134283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Objective To analyze the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing among Chinese college students and examine how self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate this relationship during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods A total of 707 Chinese college students were voluntarily surveyed. They completed the Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP), Short Boredom Proneness Scale (SBPS), Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS), and Self-Control Scale (SCS). Results (1) The results revealed that men scored higher on boredom than women. (2) The analysis revealed significant associations between each of the variables. Boredom proneness was positively correlated with bedtime procrastination (r = 0.318; P < 0.001) and phubbing (r = 0.418; P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with self-control (r = -0.518; P < 0.001). (3) Mediation analysis suggested that self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing (effect of self-control = 0.094, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.062∼0.128]; effect of bedtime procrastination = 0.025, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.011∼0.042]; and effect of self-control and bedtime procrastination = 0.032, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.020∼0.046]). Conclusion Self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate the association between boredom proneness and phubbing among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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13
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Hajdu N, Schmidt K, Acs G, Röer JP, Mirisola A, Giammusso I, Arriaga P, Ribeiro R, Dubrov D, Grigoryev D, Arinze NC, Voracek M, Stieger S, Adamkovic M, Elsherif M, Kern BMJ, Barzykowski K, Ilczuk E, Martončik M, Ropovik I, Ruiz-Fernandez S, Baník G, Ulloa JL, Aczel B, Szaszi B. Contextual factors predicting compliance behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: A machine learning analysis on survey data from 16 countries. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0276970. [PMID: 36441720 PMCID: PMC9704675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Voluntary isolation is one of the most effective methods for individuals to help prevent the transmission of diseases such as COVID-19. Understanding why people leave their homes when advised not to do so and identifying what contextual factors predict this non-compliant behavior is essential for policymakers and public health officials. To provide insight on these factors, we collected data from 42,169 individuals across 16 countries. Participants responded to items inquiring about their socio-cultural environment, such as the adherence of fellow citizens, as well as their mental states, such as their level of loneliness and boredom. We trained random forest models to predict whether someone had left their home during a one week period during which they were asked to voluntarily isolate themselves. The analyses indicated that overall, an increase in the feeling of being caged leads to an increased probability of leaving home. In addition, an increased feeling of responsibility and an increased fear of getting infected decreased the probability of leaving home. The models predicted compliance behavior with between 54% and 91% accuracy within each country's sample. In addition, we modeled factors leading to risky behavior in the pandemic context. We observed an increased probability of visiting risky places as both the anticipated number of people and the importance of the activity increased. Conversely, the probability of visiting risky places increased as the perceived putative effectiveness of social distancing decreased. The variance explained in our models predicting risk ranged from < .01 to .54 by country. Together, our findings can inform behavioral interventions to increase adherence to lockdown recommendations in pandemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandor Hajdu
- Doctoral School of Psychology, ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Gergely Acs
- Department of Networked Systems and Services, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jan P. Röer
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Alberto Mirisola
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Isabella Giammusso
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Rafael Ribeiro
- ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon, CIS-IUL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Dmitrii Dubrov
- National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitry Grigoryev
- National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | | | - Martin Voracek
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Stieger
- Division Psychological Methodology, Department of Psychology and Psychodynamics, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - Matus Adamkovic
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Presov, Prešov, Slovakia
- Institute of Social Sciences, CSPS Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Mahmoud Elsherif
- Department of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Bettina M. J. Kern
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of European and Comparative Literature and Language Studies, Faculty of Philological and Cultural Studies, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Krystian Barzykowski
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Ilczuk
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marcel Martončik
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Presov, Prešov, Slovakia
| | - Ivan Ropovik
- Faculty of Education, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Education, University of Presov, Prešov, Slovakia
| | - Susana Ruiz-Fernandez
- FOM University of Applied Sciences, Essen, Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gabriel Baník
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Presov, Prešov, Slovakia
| | - José Luis Ulloa
- Programa de Investigación Asociativa (PIA) en Ciencias Cognitivas, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas (CICC), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Balazs Aczel
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Barnabas Szaszi
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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14
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Cunha CM, Dens N, Granic GD. University Students' Well-Being and Engagement in Activities in the Early Days of Covid-19. APPLIED RESEARCH IN QUALITY OF LIFE 2022; 18:279-303. [PMID: 36466124 PMCID: PMC9684801 DOI: 10.1007/s11482-022-10119-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Governments worldwide took measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. Universities moved to online teaching almost overnight. This paper explores Belgian university students' perceptions, behaviors, and emotional well-being during the first weeks of strict preventive measures. We conducted a survey with 614 business administration students at the University of Antwerp. The results indicate that, in comparison to the pre-lockdown period, students feel less productive, engage less in healthy behaviors (e.g., healthy snacking, exercising alone), and report more study problems. Based on the emotional quality of their everyday experience, students can be clustered into two groups. One group (54.5%) experiences mostly negative affect, while the other reports experiencing mostly positive affect and personal optimism. The "negative affect" group consists of more women and students in the early years of their bachelor's. This group experiences more financial difficulties and spends more time on social media. These students seem to have a more challenging time coping with the lockdown: they perceive higher study load increase and more significant reduction of social contacts while facing more study problems, studying fewer hours, and perceiving a lower study efficiency. They also engage in less healthy behaviors (e.g., unhealthy snacking more, drinking more alcohol, and exercising alone less) to a greater extent than the positive affect group. These results confirm previous research, demonstrating a positive relationship between emotional well-being and the engagement in and the intensity of productive and healthy activities. Several recommendations are provided in light of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmem M. Cunha
- Department of Marketing, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Dens
- Department of Marketing, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Georg D. Granic
- Department of Marketing, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Applied Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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15
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Danckert J. Boredom in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:428. [PMID: 36354405 PMCID: PMC9687330 DOI: 10.3390/bs12110428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The past two and half years have been witness to an extraordinary global pandemic with obvious and devastating health outcomes [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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16
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Zoppolat G, Righetti F, Balzarini RN, Alonso-Ferres M, Urganci B, Rodrigues DL, Debrot A, Wiwattanapantuwong J, Dharma C, Chi P, Karremans JC, Schoebi D, Slatcher RB. Relationship difficulties and "technoference" during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF SOCIAL AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS 2022; 39:3204-3227. [PMID: 36349312 PMCID: PMC9630926 DOI: 10.1177/02654075221093611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has touched many aspects of people's lives around the world, including their romantic relationships. While media outlets have reported that the pandemic is difficult for couples, empirical evidence is needed to test these claims and understand why this may be. In two highly powered studies (N = 3271) using repeated measure and longitudinal approaches, we found that people who experienced COVID-19 related challenges (i.e., lockdown, reduced face-to-face interactions, boredom, or worry) also reported greater self and partner phone use (Study 1) and time spent on social media (Study 2), and subsequently experienced more conflict and less satisfaction in their romantic relationship. The findings provide insight into the struggles people faced in their relationships during the pandemic and suggest that the increase in screen time - a rising phenomenon due to the migration of many parts of life online - may be a challenge for couples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anik Debrot
- University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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17
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Van Tilburg WAP, Pekrun R, Igou ER. Consumed by Boredom: Food Choice Motivation and Weight Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:366. [PMID: 36285935 PMCID: PMC9598600 DOI: 10.3390/bs12100366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Boredom is an established cause and correlate of eating behavior. Yet, existing work offers a scattered range of plausible motivations for why this is. We examined among 302 people representative of the adult UK population what motivations they had for selecting food during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this related to boredom. As predicted, bored people choose food less for health reasons and more for convenience. Boredom reduced ethical and 'natural content' motivations for selecting food and was not associated with choosing food to regulate one's mood or to experience unfamiliarity. Boredom was also associated with greater absolute changes in weight over the course of the pandemic. Boredom did not predict weight gains or losses overall. These findings offer insights into the role that boredom plays in eating motivations in particular and health-relevant outcomes in general.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reinhard Pekrun
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
- Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia
- Department of Psychology, University of Munich, 80802 Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
| | - Eric R. Igou
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland
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18
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Power N, Warmelink L, Wallace R. Prosocial rule breaking, ingroups and social norms: Parental decision-making about COVID-19 rule breaking in the UK. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 33:CASP2650. [PMID: 36249595 PMCID: PMC9537870 DOI: 10.1002/casp.2650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The British public generally adhered to COVID-19-related restrictions, but as the pandemic drew on, it became challenging for some populations. Parents with young children were identified as a vulnerable group. We collected rich, mixed-methods survey data from 99 UK-based parents (91 mothers) of children under 12, who described their lockdown transgressions. Household mixing was the most prevalent broken rule. Template analysis found that rule breaking was driven by 'ingroup-level' prosocial motivations to protect the mental and social health of family and loved ones, and that parents were 'engaged' decision-makers who underwent careful deliberation when deciding to break rules, making trade-offs, bending rules, mitigating risks, reaching consensus, and reacting to perceived rule injustices. Cumulative link models found that the perceived reasonableness of rule violations was predicted by social norms. Rules were broken by parents not for antisocial reasons, but for 'ingroup-level' prosocial reasons, linked to supporting loved ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Power
- Department of Psychology, Fylde CollegeLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
| | - Lara Warmelink
- Department of Psychology, Fylde CollegeLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
| | - Rebecca Wallace
- Department of Psychology, Fylde CollegeLancaster UniversityLancasterUK
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19
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Fultz AA, Brown JA, Bernieri FJ. The Boredom Prone Personality: A Multitrait-Multimethod Approach. J Pers Assess 2022; 105:382-395. [PMID: 36053121 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2112205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The present investigation reports the convergent and discriminant validity coefficients for two versions of Farmer and Sundberg's (Journal of Personality Assessment, 50(1), 4-17, 1986) boredom proneness scale. Boredom proneness, a trait that refers to an enduring tendency to disengage from the environment, has been neglected by the field of psychology despite its theoretical relevance to performance and psychological well-being. This report sought: (a) to validate a shortened 8-item version of the original Boredom Proneness Scale published by Struk et al. (Assessment, 24(3), 346-359, 2017) and (b) to extensively examine the boredom proneness construct that the long and short versions of this scale assess. We employed a multitrait-multimethod approach that assessed a large number of theorized effects simultaneously. We replicated dozens of theorized and/or previously observed boredom proneness correlates (convergent validity) as well as many theorized null effects (discriminant validity). The overall pattern of significant and null effect sizes provided compelling evidence that the original boredom proneness scale as well as the 8 items that constitute the shorter version are valid measures of one's susceptibility to boredom. We propose that boredom proneness might be an underappreciated yet important theoretical moderator of Person X Situation effects.
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20
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Bieleke M, Ripper L, Schüler J, Wolff W. Boredom is the root of all evil-or is it? A psychometric network approach to individual differences in behavioural responses to boredom. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211998. [PMID: 36177193 PMCID: PMC9515645 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Functional accounts of boredom propose that boredom serves as an impartial signal to change something about the current situation, which should give rise to adaptive and maladaptive behaviour alike. This seemingly contrasts with research on boredom proneness, which has overwhelmingly shown associations with maladaptive behaviour. To shed light on this discrepancy, we disentangled boredom proneness from individual differences in (i) the urge to avoid and escape boredom and (ii) adaptive and maladaptive ways of dealing with boredom by developing corresponding trait scales. In a study with N = 636 participants, psychometric network modelling revealed tight associations between boredom proneness and less adaptive and (especially) more maladaptive ways of dealing with boredom. However, its associations with the urge to avoid and escape boredom were rather weak. Importantly, a higher urge to avoid and escape boredom was linked not only to more maladaptive but also to more adaptive ways of dealing with boredom. This pattern of results was robust across various specific behaviours that have previously been linked to boredom. Our findings provide novel evidence for functional accounts of boredom from an individual difference perspective, cautioning against a shallow view of boredom as being associated with purely maladaptive behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maik Bieleke
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Leonie Ripper
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Julia Schüler
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Wanja Wolff
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
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21
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Johnsen R. “Busy idleness”: The active and moral dimension of boredom. ORGANIZATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/13505084221098233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In this essay, I argue for the value of studying boredom as a social and organizational phenomenon. Recently, an interest in the more active side of boredom has led to the publication of a number of popular psychology books on boredom’s motivational capacities. A key point in this literature is the focus on the individual ability to distinguish between activity and productivity, and to exploit boredom for self-development purposes. I argue that this trend in boredom studies should prompt us to look closer, not only at the moral history of boredom, and at how social reality has organized around it, but also on what boredom, and the countermeasures it represents, “produce” as a central experiential component of alienated labor.
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22
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Bambrah V, Wyman A, Friedman E, Eastwood JD. Examining the Longitudinal Associations between Adjustment Disorder Symptoms and Boredom during COVID-19. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:311. [PMID: 36135115 PMCID: PMC9495664 DOI: 10.3390/bs12090311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a myriad of stressors, underscoring the relevance of adjustment disorder during these extraordinary times. Boredom-as a feeling and as a dispositional characteristic-is an equally pertinent experience during the pandemic that has been cross-sectionally linked to various mental health difficulties. The current longitudinal study expanded on this work, examining the associations between adjustment disorder symptoms and boredom (both as a feeling and as a trait) over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. Community participants completed questionnaires three times, rating their trait boredom at Time 1 and their feelings of boredom and adjustment disorder symptoms (preoccupation with a pandemic stressor and failure to adapt) over the past week at Times 1-3. Latent growth curve analyses found that an increase in feelings of boredom was significantly associated with increased preoccupation with a pandemic stressor and increased difficulties with adapting over time. Additionally, trait boredom significantly predicted changes in preoccupation and the failure to adapt, such that participants high in trait boredom increasingly struggled with these symptoms over time. Our results suggest that increased feelings of boredom and a trait disposition towards boredom can be detrimental to people's ability to adjust over time to the stressors associated with the pandemic. Boredom, as an aversive state and as a chronic difficulty, may be important to address in treatment approaches for adjustment disorder symptoms during COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veerpal Bambrah
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
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23
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Dang V, Lench HC. The Struggle to Entertain Yourself: Consequences of the Internal Stimulation Factor of Boredom Proneness during Pandemic Lockdown. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:303. [PMID: 36135107 PMCID: PMC9495593 DOI: 10.3390/bs12090303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Boredom is a ubiquitous human experience that most people try to avoid feeling. People who are prone to boredom experience negative consequences. This study examined the impact of individual differences in the ability to entertain the self (the internal stimulation factor) on boredom experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown in the United States. The internal and external stimulation factors predicted greater boredom frequency, boredom duration, and boredom intensity, each of which reflected a different aspect of emotional experience. The relationship among these factors was complex. A serial mediation analysis indicated the internal stimulation factor predicted the frequency of boredom, which in turn predicted the duration of boredom, which predicted boredom intensity. This pattern of relationships is potentially unique to boredom among emotional experiences. These findings provide insight into how boredom functions during a period in which daily activities and coping resources that would normally be available became severely limited.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heather C. Lench
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA
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24
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Weiss ER, Todman M, Maple E, Bunn RR. Boredom in a Time of Uncertainty: State and Trait Boredom's Associations with Psychological Health during COVID-19. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:bs12080298. [PMID: 36004869 PMCID: PMC9405470 DOI: 10.3390/bs12080298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have demonstrated increases in boredom and its negative impact on mental health. This cross-sectional study examines state and trait boredom at four different points of the pandemic using an online sample of participants from the United States (n = 783). The results showed significant increases in boredom proneness, state boredom, substance use, loneliness, and distress. Boredom was associated with increases in each of these variables and a greater likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19. Moreover, the increases in distress, loneliness, and substance use became non-significant when controlling for boredom. Boredom proneness remained associated with all adverse outcomes when accounting for state boredom. In contrast, the relationships between state boredom and most adverse outcomes lost significance when controlling for boredom proneness, and state boredom was positively associated with increased hope for the future. Overall, the results suggest that high boredom proneness is an important vulnerability factor for poor psychological health and risky behaviors during the pandemic. However, high levels of recent state boredom, independent of boredom proneness, do not predict similarly negative outcomes. State boredom may indicate the extent to which one remains hopeful that circumstances will improve without resorting to risky, potentially maladaptive coping strategies.
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25
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Weybright EH, Doering EL, Perone S. Difficulties with Emotion Regulation during COVID-19 and Associations with Boredom in College Students. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:296. [PMID: 36004867 PMCID: PMC9404998 DOI: 10.3390/bs12080296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 related restrictions resulted in a significant lifestyle change for many young adults in the United States. Although boredom and emotional self-regulation are clearly connected in empirical research, the question remains of what this association looks like in unique circumstances, such as early in COVID-19 pandemic at the height of restrictions. The purpose of the current study is to identify the association between boredom proneness and emotion regulation in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. College students who completed a Boredom Coping Survey between October and December 2019 (n = 481) were recruited for a follow-up COVID-19 Boredom Survey in April 2020. Data from this sub-sample (n = 58) were used in a hierarchical regression predicting the role of boredom proneness on COVID-19 pandemic emotion regulation difficulties while controlling for age, sex, and COVID-19 related lifestyle changes. Findings indicated higher levels of emotion regulation difficulties were associated with higher levels of boredom proneness above and beyond demographic variables and COVID-19 lifestyle changes. Results are in line with prior theory and research on the importance of the environment or situational factors to the experience of boredom.
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26
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Tam KYY, Chan CS, van Tilburg WAP, Lavi I, Lau JYF. Boredom belief moderates the mental health impact of boredom among young people: Correlational and multi-wave longitudinal evidence gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Pers 2022; 91:638-652. [PMID: 35927788 PMCID: PMC9537911 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Young people's experience of boredom and its psychological health sequelae have been exacerbated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. The present study examined the moderating role of boredom beliefs—the extent to which one affectively dislikes boredom (boredom dislike) and cognitively accepts it (boredom normalcy)—on the association between boredom experience and mental well‐being. We also validated a new measure of boredom beliefs in two different samples of young people. Method We report data from a correlational study with British young people aged 12–25 (Study 1; N = 2495) and a 16‐week eight‐wave within‐subject study with Israeli adolescents aged 12–18 (Study 2; N = 314). Results Across both studies, disliking boredom was associated with higher frequency and intensity of boredom. Boredom dislike moderated the negative association between boredom and mental well‐being, such that the association was more salient among those who strongly disliked boredom. Normalizing boredom was positively associated with mental well‐being. The measure of boredom beliefs demonstrated fair validity and reliability. Conclusion Results provide novel insights into the potential buffering effect of boredom beliefs against the mental health impact of boredom, particularly at a time of reduced activity. These findings generalize across two different countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katy Y Y Tam
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong.,Department of Psychology, King's College London
| | | | | | - Iris Lavi
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK.,School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Jennifer Y F Lau
- Institute of Population Health Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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27
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Drody AC, Hicks LJ, Danckert J. Boredom Proneness and Rule-Breaking: A Persistent Relation One Year into the COVID-19 Pandemic. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:251. [PMID: 35892351 PMCID: PMC9394241 DOI: 10.3390/bs12080251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison C. Drody
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada;
| | - Lydia J. Hicks
- Department of Psychology, Lakehead University at Thunder Bay, 955 Oliver Rd, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada;
| | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada;
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28
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Jiao J(J, Lu F, Chen N. Deriving happiness through extraordinary or ordinary brand experiences in times of COVID-19 threat. THE JOURNAL OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS 2022; 56:JOCA12465. [PMID: 35942032 PMCID: PMC9350175 DOI: 10.1111/joca.12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The authors examined how the joint effect of brand experience type (ordinary vs. extraordinary) and COVID-19 threat on consumer happiness changed at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings from five studies, with the COVID-19 threat and lockdown status measured as well as manipulated, suggest that COVID-19 threat exerts converse moderating influences on the extraordinariness-happiness relationship under no lockdown and lockdown. Under lockdown, threat attenuates the effect of brand extraordinariness on happiness; extraordinary brand experiences bring more happiness than ordinary brand experiences when the perceived threat of COVID-19 is low, but consumers derive comparable happiness from extraordinary and ordinary experiences when perceived threat is high. Under no lockdown, threat amplifies the positive effect of extraordinariness on happiness. Consumers rarely experience a large-scale lockdown due to a pandemic, and this research advances understanding of how consumer happiness from a brand experience changes with the trajectory of a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng (Jenny) Jiao
- Amazon410 Terry Ave NSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Henry B. Tippie College of Business, The University of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
- School of ManagementBinghamton UniversityBinghamtonNew YorkUSA
| | - Fang‐Chi Lu
- Henry B. Tippie College of Business, The University of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
- Department of Management and Marketing, Faculty of Business and EconomicsUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Nuoya Chen
- School of Management, Fudan UniversityYangpu DistrictChina
- Department of Information Systems and Management EngineeringCollege of Business, Southern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
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29
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Martarelli CS, Baillifard A, Audrin C. A Trait-Based Network Perspective on the Validation of the French Short Boredom Proneness Scale. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1027/1015-5759/a000718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. The Short Boredom Proneness Scale (SBPS) has recently been developed. Using a standard confirmatory factor analysis, we report on the structural validation of the French SBPS, which provided support for the original construct. A network analysis ( n = 490) revealed the structure of the relationships between the SBPS and the two facets of Curiosity and Exploration Inventory-II (CEI-II). The analysis revealed positive connections between the boredom and curiosity items, whereas the connections between the boredom and exploration items were negative. To evaluate measurement invariance, we compared the French-speaking sample ( n = 490) with an English-speaking sample ( n = 364). Full configural, metric, and scalar invariance was established; thus, we provide a valid French translation of a widely used measure of boredom that may advantage future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Catherine Audrin
- University of Teacher Education, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, Geneva, Switzerland
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30
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Getting trapped in a dead end? Trait self-control and boredom are linked to goal adjustment. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2022; 46:837-851. [PMID: 35729994 PMCID: PMC9199331 DOI: 10.1007/s11031-022-09943-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Disengaging from unattainable goals and reengaging in alternative goals is essential for effective goal pursuit; yet, surprisingly little is known about associated personality factors. Here, we focused on individual differences in self-control (domain-general self-control, if–then planning) and boredom (boredom proneness, boredom avoidance and escape tendencies). Concerning goal adjustment in everyday life (Study 1; N = 323 crowdworkers), if–then planning was associated with worse disengagement and better reengagement. While boredom proneness was associated with poorer reengagement, boredom avoidance and escape tendencies were associated with better reengagement. When goal striving was thwarted during the COVID-19 pandemic (Study 2; N = 97 students), similar associations emerged along with links to anxiety and depression. However, disengagement was no longer associated with if–then planning but instead with better self-control and higher boredom proneness. These results show differential relationships of goal disengagement and reengagement with self-control and boredom, paving the way to a better understanding of who struggles or shines when effective goal adjustment is required.
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te Brinke LW, van der Cruijsen R, Green KH, Crone EA. Positive and Negative Risk-Taking in Adolescence and Early Adulthood: A Citizen Science Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2022; 13:885692. [PMID: 35734467 PMCID: PMC9207949 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.885692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensation seeking is an important underlying factor of both positive and negative forms of risk-taking during adolescence and early adulthood. However, macro-factors such as the global COVID-19 pandemic may influence sensation seeking opportunities and risk-taking behaviors that are considered negative and positive. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to examine the associations between sensation seeking and behaviors that are considered positive or negative forms of risk-taking during the Covid-19 pandemic in a sample of adolescents and early adults (N = 660, Mage = 22.91, SD = 3.14). Using citizen science methods, negative risk-taking was defined as taking unaccepted risks, such as falsifying vaccination reports or deliberately contracting COVID-19. Positive risk-taking was defined as taking socially accepted risks, such as balancing between the risk to infect elderly people and the need to socialize with peers. Results showed that participants with higher levels of sensation seeking took more positive and negative COVID-19 related risks. An additional finding was that sensation seeking was positively associated with the need to contribute to society. This indicates that during adolescence and early adulthood, sensation seeking may be a driving factor for both positive (i.e., socially accepted) and negative (i.e., socially unaccepted) risk-taking in the context of a high-stake global pandemic, arguing against a one-direction negative relation between sensation seeking and risk-taking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lysanne W. te Brinke
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Lysanne W. te Brinke,
| | - Renske van der Cruijsen
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kayla H. Green
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Eveline A. Crone
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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A single item measure of self-control – validation and location in a nomological network of self-control, boredom, and if-then planning. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2022. [DOI: 10.32872/spb.7453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-control is a highly adaptive human capacity and research on self-control is booming. To further facilitate self-control research, especially in conditions where time-constraints might render the use of multi-item measures of self-control problematic, a validated time-efficient single item measure would be an asset. However, such a measure has not yet been developed and tested. Here, we address this gap by reporting the psychometric properties of a single item measure of self-control and by assessing its localization within a larger theorized psychometric network consisting of self-control, boredom and if-then planning. In a high-powered (N = 1553) study with paid online workers from the US (gender: 47.3% female, 51.7% male, 1% other; age: 40.36 ± 12.65 years), we found evidence for the convergent validity (Brief Self-Control Scale), divergent validity (Short Boredom Proneness Scale and If-Then Planning Scale), and criterion validity (objective and subjective socio-economic status) of the single item measure of self-control (“How much self-control do you have?”). Network psychometrics further revealed that the single item was part of the self-control subnetwork and clearly distinguishable from boredom and if-then planning, which together with self-control form a larger psychometric network of psychological dispositions that are relevant for orienting goal directed behavior. Thus, the present findings indicate that self-control can be adequately captured with the single item measure presented here, thereby extending the methodological toolbox of self-control researchers by a highly-time efficient measure.
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Rania N, Pinna L, Coppola I. Living with COVID-19: emotions and health during the pandemic. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY REPORT 2022; 10:212-226. [PMID: 38084279 PMCID: PMC10679920 DOI: 10.5114/hpr.2022.115795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 has led and still leads all nations to adopt virus containment plans, considering possible strategies that help to live with the virus. The present study aimed to investigate the practical, psychological and emotional aspects of living with COVID-19. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE A total of 250 young adults (86% female), who lived in north-western Italy, took part in an online photovoice study, in respect of social distancing. They participated in a group discussion following the method SHOWeD. The researchers analyzed the photographs along with comments and transcripts from the SHOWeD group discussions using the triangulation process of visual and textual data. The collected data were analyzed on the basis of grounded theory, with the support of the NVivo 12 software. RESULTS From the analysis of the emotions concerning the psychological health of participants, 4 categories were identified. The results reveal benefits and emotional aspects that have stimulated the increase of individual and community empowerment. COVID-19 has led and still leads all nations to adopt virus containment plans, considering possible strategies that help to live with the virus. CONCLUSIONS From the analysis of the results it emerged how the online photovoice was a tool that allowed on the one hand the sharing of experiences and emotions related to living with COVID-19 and on the other hand to maintain social ties despite physical distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Rania
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Laura Pinna
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ilaria Coppola
- Department of Education Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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Hulu V, Fransiska RNS, Sihotang WY, Sinaga S, Samosir FJ, Ginting AB, Putri RWE, Sagala LMB, Santri P YV, Fithri N, Wahyuni F, Manalu P. COVID-19 Incidence Prediction Model Based on Community Behavior With Neural Networks. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2022.9175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS : The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health emergency that requires a public health response to prevent the spread of the virus.
AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the prediction model for the incidence of COVID-19 based on community behavior.
METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional study design. The study population was all people aged >18 years in Medan City and obtained a sample of 395 people with stratified random sampling technique. The research instrument used a questionnaire in google form, then, using Microsoft Office Excel, we transferred the data from the survey to a computer program. Furthermore, the data was analyzed using the neural networks method. Then the features importance will be calculated using the Random Forest with Mean Decrease Impurity (RF-MDI) method.
RESULT: The results showed that based on the confusion matrix, the prediction value for those who did not suffer from COVID-19 was correct from negative data = 8, the correct prediction value for COVID-19 from positive data = 8. While the incorrect prediction value for machines that predicted negative results but the actual data was positive = 2, and predicts a positive result but the actual data is negative = 4. Thus, based on the neural net classification method, the accuracy value is 72%. The results of this study indicate that poor preventive behavior by the community greatly affects the spread of COVID-19 cases.
CONCLUSION: Poor community behavior, such as not limiting their interaction/contact with other people, not exercising frequently, leaving the house without keeping a safe distance, and not washing hands regularly, can all impact COVID-19 transmission in the community
Keywords: Behavior Prediction Model, COVID-19 Incidence, Neural Network
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Brosowsky NP, Barr N, Mugon J, Scholer AA, Seli P, Danckert J. Creativity, Boredom Proneness and Well-Being in the Pandemic. Behav Sci (Basel) 2022; 12:68. [PMID: 35323387 PMCID: PMC8945222 DOI: 10.3390/bs12030068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the course of the pandemic, it has become clear that the strictures of social isolation and various levels of lockdown constraints have impacted people's well-being. Here, our aim was to explore relations between trait dispositions associated with boredom proneness, self-regulation and well-being using data collected early in the pandemic. Specifically, we explored whether the tendency to engage in everyday creative pursuits (e.g., making your own greeting cards) would act as a prophylactic against poor well-being. Results showed that well-being was higher for those individuals who increased engagement with creative pursuits during the early stages of the pandemic. That is, people who engaged more in everyday creative activities also reported higher levels of self-esteem, optimism, and positive affect. In contrast, those who pursued fewer creative outlets had higher levels of depression and anxiety, were higher in boredom proneness, and reported experiencing more negative affect. As we emerge from the pandemic, these data provide a clue as to how people might plan to cope adaptively with the restrictive circumstances this extreme world event engendered. More generally, these data provide support for the notion that everyday creativity (and not necessarily creative expertise) has positive associations for well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholaus P. Brosowsky
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 190 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada;
| | - Nathaniel Barr
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sheridan College, 1430 Trafalgar Rd., Oakville, ON L6H 2L1, Canada;
| | - Jhotisha Mugon
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; (J.M.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Abigail A. Scholer
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; (J.M.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Paul Seli
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA;
| | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; (J.M.); (A.A.S.)
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Ohlmeier S, Klingler C, Schellartz I, Pfaff H. Having a Break or Being Imprisoned: Influence of Subjective Interpretations of Quarantine and Isolation on Boredom. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:2207. [PMID: 35206395 PMCID: PMC8872444 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Boredom has been identified as one of the greatest psychological challenges when staying at home during quarantine and isolation. However, this does not mean that the situation necessarily causes boredom. On the basis of 13 explorative interviews with bored and non-bored persons who have been under quarantine or in isolation, we explain why boredom is related to a subjective interpretation process rather than being a direct consequence of the objective situation. Specifically, we show that participants vary significantly in their interpretations of staying at home and, thus, also in their experience of boredom. While the non-bored participants interpret the situation as a relief or as irrelevant, the bored participants interpret it as a major restriction that only some are able to cope with.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke Ohlmeier
- Institute of Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science, University of Cologne, 50933 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Corinna Klingler
- Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany;
| | - Isabell Schellartz
- Institute of Health Care Research, Rhineland State Council, LVR-Institut für Versorgungsforschung, 51109 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Holger Pfaff
- Institute of Medical Sociology, Health Services Research and Rehabilitation Science, University of Cologne, 50933 Cologne, Germany;
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Jansen EJ, Danckert J, Seli P, Scholer AA. Under pressure: Locomotion and assessment in the COVID-19 pandemic. SELF AND IDENTITY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2022.2036635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erik J. Jansen
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Paul Seli
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, United States
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Abstract
Pandemics are complex events involving a range of stressors affecting mental health. The recent COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst, accelerating preexisting trends in clinical care such as the rise of e-health for rapidly and broadly disseminating psychological services. The process of adapting face-to-face clinical services to online formats occurred rapidly during COVID-19, underscoring the adaptability of clinicians to meet new challenges. However, COVID-19 also highlighted important shortcomings in clinical care, including planning deficiencies and shortages of clinicians with specialized training for treating various psychological problems (e.g., prolonged grief disorder). These problems and potential solutions are discussed.
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Abstract
This article reviews the current state of knowledge and promising new directions concerning the psychology of pandemics. Pandemics are disease outbreaks that spread globally. Historically, psychological factors have been neglected by researchers and health authorities despite evidence that pandemics are, to a large extent, psychological phenomena whereby beliefs and behaviors influence the spreading versus containment of infection. Psychological factors are important in determining (a) adherence to pandemic mitigation methods (e.g., adherence to social distancing), (b) pandemic-related social disruption (e.g., panic buying, racism, antilockdown protests), and (c) pandemic-related distress and related problems (e.g., anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, prolonged grief disorder). The psychology of pandemics has emerged as an important field of research and practice during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As a scholarly discipline, the psychology of pandemics is fragmented and diverse, encompassing various psychological subspecialties and allied disciplines, but is vital for shaping clinical practice and public health guidelines for COVID-19 and future pandemics. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, Volume 18 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;
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40
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Li S, Kallas Z, Rahmani D, Gil JM. Trends in Food Preferences and Sustainable Behavior during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Evidence from Spanish Consumers. Foods 2021; 10:1898. [PMID: 34441675 PMCID: PMC8391569 DOI: 10.3390/foods10081898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to global food security, and it changes consumers' food buying and consumption behavior. This research not only investigates trends in Spanish consumers' general food shopping and consumption habits during the lockdown, but also investigates these trends from the perspective of sustainable purchasing. Specifically, total food consumption (C), food expenditure (E), and purchase of food with sustainable attributes (S) were measured. Data were collected from a semi-structured questionnaire which was distributed online among 1203 participants. The logit models showed that gender, age, employment status, and consumers' experiences were associated with total food consumption and expenditure during the lockdown. In addition, consumers' risk perceptions, shopping places, trust level in information sources, and risk preference were highly essential factors influencing consumers' preferences and sustainable behavior. Consumers' objective knowledge regarding COVID-19 was related to expenditure. Furthermore, family structure only affected expenditure, while income and place of residence influenced food consumption. Mood was associated with expenditure and the purchase of sustainable food. Household size affected purchasing behavior towards food with sustainable attributes. This research provides references for stakeholders that help them to adapt to the new COVID-19 situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Li
- Institute for Research in Sustainability Science and Technology (IS-UPC), Polytechnic University of Catalonia, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Zein Kallas
- CREDA-UPC-IRTA (Centre for Agro-food Economy and Development), 08860 Castelldefels, Spain; (D.R.); (J.M.G.)
- DEAB (Department of Agrifood Engineering and Biotechnology), Polytechnic University of Catalonia, 08860 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Djamel Rahmani
- CREDA-UPC-IRTA (Centre for Agro-food Economy and Development), 08860 Castelldefels, Spain; (D.R.); (J.M.G.)
| | - José Maria Gil
- CREDA-UPC-IRTA (Centre for Agro-food Economy and Development), 08860 Castelldefels, Spain; (D.R.); (J.M.G.)
- DEAB (Department of Agrifood Engineering and Biotechnology), Polytechnic University of Catalonia, 08860 Barcelona, Spain
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Bieleke M, Martarelli CS, Wolff W. If-then planning, self-control, and boredom as predictors of adherence to social distancing guidelines: Evidence from a two-wave longitudinal study with a behavioral intervention. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 42:9095-9108. [PMID: 34413619 PMCID: PMC8363486 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-021-02106-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In the wake of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), social distancing is instrumental for containing the pandemic. To maximize its effectiveness, it is paramount to investigate psychological factors that predict adherence to social distancing guidelines and examine corresponding interventions. We focused on individual differences in if-then planning, self-control, and boredom, and tested an intervention based on if-then planning. We conducted a two-wave longitudinal study combining observational and experimental methods. Participants (N = 574, 35.7% female, age: M = 37.5 years, SD = 10.8) reported their adherence to social distancing guidelines and the perceived difficulty of adherence at T1, along with trait measures of if-then planning, self-control, and boredom. Afterwards, they were randomly assigned to an if-then planning intervention to increase adherence, or to a control intervention. One week later at T2, participants again reported their adherence and the perceived difficulty of adhering. Multiple regression and structural equation modeling were used to establish whether trait if-then planning, self-control, and boredom predicted adherence, and to examine the effects of the if-then planning intervention. Trait if-then planning, self-control, and boredom were associated with T1 adherence, while only if-then planning and boredom predicted T2 adherence. No overall treatment effect of the if-then planning intervention emerged; however, participants who complied with the intervention (75.6%) maintained higher levels of adherence over time than control participants. In sum, individual differences in if-then planning, self-control, and boredom predicted adherence to social distancing guidelines. If-then planning interventions are promising but require further steps to ascertain compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maik Bieleke
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Wanja Wolff
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Educational Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Struk AA, Scholer AA, Danckert J. Perceptions of Control Influence Feelings of Boredom. Front Psychol 2021; 12:687623. [PMID: 34305746 PMCID: PMC8298837 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Conditions of low and high perceived control often lead to boredom, albeit for different reasons. Whereas, high perceived control may be experienced as boring because the situation lacks challenge, low perceived control may be experienced as boring because the situation precludes effective engagement. In two experiments we test this proposed quadratic relationship. In the first experiment we had participants play different versions of the children's game "rock-paper-scissors" in which they arbitrarily won (intended to maximize feelings of control) or lost (to induce feelings of low control). Despite having only dichotomous conditions, participants reported experiencing a broad range of levels of perceived control. Consistent with our predictions, boredom was highest at low and high levels of perceived control (i.e., a quadratic relation between perceived control and felt boredom). Experiment 2 tested the notion that the mere prospect of gaining control may mitigate boredom. Participants given to believe (erroneously) that they could gain control over the game of rock, paper, scissors were less bored than those who believed there was no possibility of winning at greater than chance levels. This suggests that beliefs concerning prospective control, rather than a given level of perceived control per se, may predict engagement and boredom.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Boateng GO, Doku DT, Enyan NIE, Owusu SA, Aboh IK, Kodom RV, Ekumah B, Quansah R, Boamah SA, Obiri-Yeboah D, Nsabimana E, Jansen S, Armah FA. Prevalence and changes in boredom, anxiety and well-being among Ghanaians during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based study. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:985. [PMID: 34039313 PMCID: PMC8149916 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10998-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with several adverse health outcomes. However, few studies in sub-Saharan Africa have examined its deleterious consequences on mental health. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and changes in boredom, anxiety and psychological well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. METHODS Data for this study were drawn from an online survey of 811 participants that collected retrospective information on mental health measures including symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, boredom, and well-being. Additional data were collected on COVID-19 related measures, biosocial (e.g. age and sex) and sociocultural factors (e.g., education, occupation, marital status). Following descriptive and psychometric evaluation of measures used, multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationships between predictor variables and boredom, anxiety and psychological well-being scores during the pandemic. Second, we assessed the effect of anxiety on psychological well-being. Next, we assessed predictors of the changes in boredom, anxiety, and well-being. RESULTS Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 63.5% reported better well-being, 11.6% symptoms of anxiety, and 29.6% symptoms of boredom. Comparing experiences before and during the pandemic, there was an increase in boredom and anxiety symptomatology, and a decrease in well-being mean scores. The adjusted model shows participants with existing medical conditions had higher scores on boredom (ß = 1.76, p < .001) and anxiety (ß = 1.83, p < .01). In a separate model, anxiety scores before the pandemic (ß = -0.25, p < .01) and having prior medical conditions (ß = -1.53, p < .001) were associated with decreased psychological well-being scores during the pandemic. In the change model, having a prior medical condition was associated with an increasing change in boredom, anxiety, and well-being. Older age was associated with decreasing changes in boredom and well-being scores. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first in Ghana to provide evidence of the changes in boredom, anxiety and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings underscore the need for the inclusion of mental health interventions as part of the current pandemic control protocol and public health preparedness towards infectious disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Godfred O Boateng
- Department of Kinesiology, College of Nursing and Health Innovations, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - David Teye Doku
- Department of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
- Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
| | | | - Samuel Asiedu Owusu
- Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Irene Korkoi Aboh
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Benard Ekumah
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Reginald Quansah
- Department of Biological and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah
- Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Epaphrodite Nsabimana
- Mental Health & Behavior Research Group, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Stefan Jansen
- Mental Health & Behavior Research Group, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Frederick Ato Armah
- Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
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Brosowsky NP, Van Tilburg W, Scholer AA, Boylan J, Seli P, Danckert J. Boredom proneness, political orientation and adherence to social-distancing in the pandemic. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2021; 45:631-640. [PMID: 34054164 PMCID: PMC8143989 DOI: 10.1007/s11031-021-09888-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Research recently showed that boredom proneness was associated with increased social distancing rule-breaking in a sample collected early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we explore data collected early in the pandemic to examine what factors might drive this relation. We focus on political affiliation. Given the functional account of boredom as a call to action, we hypothesized that this urge to act may drive individuals towards outlets replete with symbolic value (e.g., ideology, identity). In addition, given the politicization of some social distancing rules (e.g., mask wearing), we explored whether those who adhere to strong political ideologies-particularly conservative ideologies-would be more likely to rule-break. Moderation analyses indicated that boredom proneness and social (but not fiscal) conservatism were indeed predictive of rule-breaking. These results highlight the need for both clear messaging emphasizing the strength of communal identity and action (i.e., that "We are all in this together") and for interventions that emphasize shared collective values in contexts that appeal directly to social conservatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholaus P Brosowsky
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Wijnand Van Tilburg
- Department of Psychology, Essex University, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, C04 3SQ UK
| | - Abigail A Scholer
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - James Boylan
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Paul Seli
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
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45
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Audrin C, Hascoët M. Bored to Be Wild: How Boredom Is Related to Pre-Service Teachers' Intention to Persist in Their Studies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:4452. [PMID: 33922225 PMCID: PMC8122724 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Boredom is an emotion that often arises in an educational context. Past research suggests that boredom depends on specific cognitive appraisals, such as how people can control the task and how much they value it. Research further suggests that boredom is related to negative academic outcomes such as lower grades and a higher risk of dropping out. Here, we tested a mediation model on 324 pre-service teachers during the first lockdown of 2020 in Switzerland to assess (1) how control and value predicted boredom, and (2) how boredom was related to the intention to persist at university. We hypothesized that (1) the more participants felt lacking in control and low in value, the higher their boredom and (2) the more intense their boredom, the lower their intention to persist. We further hypothesized that both control and value would be positively related to the intention to persist, and this link may be mediated by boredom. Our results provide partial support for our mediation model as we found a significant indirect link between control and intention to persist through boredom. More specifically, the more participants lost control over their studies, the more they felt bored, which in turn was negatively related to their intention to persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Audrin
- Media, Digital Use and Informatic Didactics Teaching and Research Unit, Lausanne University of Teacher Education, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marine Hascoët
- Child to Adult Development Teaching and Research Unit, Lausanne University of Teacher Education, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland;
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Yakobi O, Danckert J. Boredom proneness is associated with noisy decision-making, not risk-taking. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:1807-1825. [PMID: 33829298 PMCID: PMC8026330 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06098-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Previous research shows that individuals who tend to get bored frequently and intensely—the highly boredom prone—are more likely to engage in risky behaviors. However, these studies are based largely on self-reports. Here we address this gap and suggest that noisy decision-making (DM) is a potential driver for this relationship between boredom proneness and risk-taking. In Study 1, eighty-six participants completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) while EEG was recorded. We found blunted feedback processing with higher boredom proneness, as indexed by reduced feedback-P3 amplitudes. Risk taking, as indexed by the BART, was not higher in the highly boredom prone. In Study 2a (N = 404) we directly tested the noisy DM hypothesis in an online sample using a binary choice task, and found that with higher boredom proneness, participants were more likely to alternate between choices on a trial-to-trial basis, but were not more likely to choose the risky alternative. These findings were replicated in a new sample (Study 2b), and extended to the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT; Study 3). In the IGT we found increased choice switching and reduced feedback sensitivity with higher boredom proneness. Once again, higher risk taking as indexed by the IGT was not evident in the highly boredom prone. Overall, our findings suggest that boredom proneness is associated with noisy decision-making (i.e., a tendency to alternate more between choice options regardless of risk level), and not risk-seeking per se. That is, the highly boredom prone are not necessarily attracted to risks, but rather, may be insensitive to risks due to reduced feedback sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofir Yakobi
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
| | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Self-control and beliefs surrounding others’ cooperation predict own health-protective behaviors and support for COVID-19 government regulations: Evidence from two European countries. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2021. [DOI: 10.32872/spb.4391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current pandemic, both self-regulated health-protective behavior and government-imposed regulations are needed for successful outbreak mitigation. Going forward, researchers and decision-makers must therefore understand the factors contributing to individuals’ engagement in health-protective behavior, and their support for government regulations. Integrating knowledge from the literatures on self-control and cooperation, we explore an informed selection of potential predictors of individuals’ health-protective behaviors as well as their support for government regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aiming for a conceptual replication in two European countries, we collected data in Switzerland (N = 352) and the UK before (N = 212) and during lockdown (n = 132) and conducted supervised machine learning for variable selection, followed by OLS regression, cross-sectionally and, in the UK sample, across time. Results showed that personal importance of outbreak mitigation and beliefs surrounding others’ cooperation are associated with both health-protective behavior and support for government regulations. Further, Swiss participants high in trait self-control engaged in health-protective behavior more often. Interestingly, perceived risk, age, and political orientation consistently displayed nonsignificant weak to zero associations with both health-protective behavior and support. Together, these findings highlight the contribution of self-control theories in explaining COVID-19-relevant outcomes, and underscore the importance of contextualizing self-control within the cooperative social context.
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Varella MAC, Luoto S, Soares RBDS, Valentova JV. COVID-19 Pandemic on Fire: Evolved Propensities for Nocturnal Activities as a Liability Against Epidemiological Control. Front Psychol 2021; 12:646711. [PMID: 33828510 PMCID: PMC8019933 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have been using fire for hundreds of millennia, creating an ancestral expansion toward the nocturnal niche. The new adaptive challenges faced at night were recurrent enough to amplify existing psychological variation in our species. Night-time is dangerous and mysterious, so it selects for individuals with higher tendencies for paranoia, risk-taking, and sociability (because of security in numbers). During night-time, individuals are generally tired and show decreased self-control and increased impulsive behaviors. The lower visibility during night-time favors the partial concealment of identity and opens more opportunities for disinhibition of self-interested behaviors. Indeed, individuals with an evening-oriented chronotype are more paranoid, risk-taking, extraverted, impulsive, promiscuous, and have higher antisocial personality traits. However, under some circumstances, such as respiratory pandemics, the psychobehavioral traits favored by the nocturnal niche might be counter-productive, increasing contagion rates of a disease that can evade the behavioral immune system because its disease cues are often nonexistent or mild. The eveningness epidemiological liability hypothesis presented here suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the evening-oriented psychobehavioral profile can have collectively harmful consequences: there is a clash of core tendencies between the nocturnal chronotype and the recent viral transmission-mitigating safety guidelines and rules. The pandemic safety protocols disrupt much normal social activity, particularly at night when making new social contacts is desired. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is contagious even in presymptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, which enables it to mostly evade our evolved contagious disease avoidance mechanisms. A growing body of research has indirectly shown that individual traits interfering with social distancing and anti-contagion measures are related to those of the nocturnal chronotype. Indeed, some of the social contexts that have been identified as superspreading events occur at night, such as in restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Furthermore, nocturnal environmental conditions favor the survival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus much longer than daytime conditions. We compare the eveningness epidemiological liability hypothesis with other factors related to non-compliance with pandemic safety protocols, namely sex, age, and life history. Although there is not yet a direct link between the nocturnal chronotype and non-compliance with pandemic safety protocols, security measures and future empirical research should take this crucial evolutionary mismatch and adaptive metaproblem into account, and focus on how to avoid nocturnal individuals becoming superspreaders, offering secure alternatives for nocturnal social activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Severi Luoto
- English, Drama and Writing Studies, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Rafael Bento da Silva Soares
- Center for Science Communication and Education Studies, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology, and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
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Wolff W, Bieleke M, Martarelli CS, Danckert J. A Primer on the Role of Boredom in Self-Controlled Sports and Exercise Behavior. Front Psychol 2021; 12:637839. [PMID: 33732197 PMCID: PMC7957048 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.637839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-control is critical for successful participation and performance in sports and therefore has attracted considerable research interest. Yet, knowledge about self-control remains surprisingly incomplete and inconsistent. Here, we draw attention to boredom as an experience that likely plays an important role in sports and exercise (e.g., exercise can be perceived as boring but can also be used to alleviate boredom). Specifically, we argue that studying boredom in the context of sports and exercise will also advance our understanding of self-control as a reward-based choice. We demonstrate this by discussing evidence for links between self-control and boredom and by highlighting the role boredom plays for guiding goal-directed behavior. As such, boredom is likely to interact with self-control in affecting sports performance and exercise participation. We close by highlighting several promising routes for integrating self-control and boredom research in the context of sports performance and exercise behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanja Wolff
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Maik Bieleke
- Department for Psychology of Development and Education, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - James Danckert
- Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
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Martarelli CS, Pacozzi SG, Bieleke M, Wolff W. High Trait Self-Control and Low Boredom Proneness Help COVID-19 Homeschoolers. Front Psychol 2021; 12:594256. [PMID: 33679514 PMCID: PMC7930236 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.594256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) schools around the world have been closed to protect against the spread of coronavirus. In several countries, homeschooling has been introduced to replace classroom schooling. With a focus on individual differences, the present study examined 138 schoolers (age range = 6 to 21 years) regarding their self-control and boredom proneness. The results showed that both traits were important in predicting adherence to homeschooling. Schoolers with higher levels of self-control perceived homeschooling as less difficult, which in turn increased homeschooling adherence. In contrast, schoolers with higher levels of boredom proneness perceived homeschooling as more difficult, which in turn reduced homeschooling adherence. These results partially hold when it comes to studying in the classroom. However, boredom threatened adherence only in the homeschooling context. Our results indicate that boredom proneness is a critical construct to consider when educational systems switch to homeschooling during a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simona G. Pacozzi
- Faculty of Psychology, Swiss Distance University Institute, Brig, Switzerland
| | - Maik Bieleke
- Department for Psychology of Development and Education, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wanja Wolff
- Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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