Navigating the search for fulfillment and meaning can be challenging in a world where instant gratification is prevalent.
When boredom strikes, many individuals turn to their smartphones for quick entertainment. However, recent research from the American Psychological Association suggests that mindlessly swiping through online videos to combat boredom may actually lead to increased dissatisfaction.
Lead author Katy Tam, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Toronto, explains, “While people often skip videos to avoid boredom, this behavior can paradoxically result in feeling even more bored.”
“If we constantly seek something more interesting or exciting, we will inevitably find content boring,” Tam notes.
How Switching Affects Satisfaction
Feelings of restlessness and unfulfillment often drive individuals to seek quick distractions to alleviate boredom.
To understand how this behavior impacts emotions and digital habits, researchers studied the switching behaviors of over 1,200 participants from the United States and students from the University of Toronto.
Participants were presented with engaging and dull videos, and the study revealed that individuals were more likely to switch videos when the content was uninteresting.
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Interestingly, participants expected to feel more bored when unable to switch to a new video, but the results showed the opposite. Individuals reported higher levels of boredom when given the option to switch, while watching a continuous 10-minute video led to increased satisfaction and engagement.
According to Tam and co-author Michael Inzlicht, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, constant switching disrupts content flow, resulting in lower engagement and satisfaction.
Dr. Victoria Dunckley, a psychiatrist and screen time expert, explains that switching between videos is a form of task-switching that can increase arousal levels. This chronic hyperarousal can disrupt the brain’s reward systems, contributing to feelings of boredom and dissatisfaction.
In her book, Reset Your Child’s Brain, Dunckley emphasizes how the brain can become addicted to intense digital stimuli, leading to a cycle where natural experiences become less appealing.
“It’s essentially an addiction cycle, where the brain craves more intense stimuli,” she notes.
Further studies confirmed that having control over video playback can heighten feelings of boredom. Participants reported greater levels of dissatisfaction and boredom when given the option to control playback compared to watching uninterrupted content.
Embracing Boredom
Tam highlights the negative impact of persistent boredom on mental health, such as depression and anxiety.
However, boredom can also serve as a catalyst for exploring new activities and experiences. To enhance the viewing experience, Tam suggests that boredom can signal a need to engage more deeply with the content.
“Stay focused on the content and minimize digital switching,” she advises. “Allow time for thoughts to develop and stories to unfold, as not every moment needs to be exciting.”
Dunckley supports this idea by emphasizing the purpose of boredom in personal growth.
Author and psychotherapist Thomas Kersting acknowledges boredom as essential for fostering self-awareness and emotional resilience. In his book, Raising Healthy Teenagers, he describes boredom as a tool for deepening introspection and understanding.
As society becomes increasingly immersed in digital stimuli, embracing boredom can offer valuable insights and contribute to mental well-being, Kersting notes.
“Digital content is designed to trigger pleasure-seeking responses in the brain, leading to addiction-like behaviors,” he explains.
Instead of constantly seeking high-dopamine distractions, Kersting suggests embracing moments of boredom to cultivate inner stillness and enhance creativity.
“Embracing boredom may lead to more meaningful experiences,” Tam adds. She also calls for further research on how age influences digital behaviors and boredom.
