Psychobiology of boredom

Abstract

The study of the psychobiological bases of boredom has been limited by the vagueness of its clinical constructs and the difficulties in applying adequate experimental models. The theoretical background of previous research mainly has been based upon cognitive and behavioral psychology by using neuropsychological constructs, such as arousal, attention, motivation, sensation-seeking, and the reward system. Recently acquired data depict a complex and fragmentary picture. In this article, the author presents a review of the literature as well as some personal considerations on this intriguing topic.