The motivational consequences of boredom

Abstract

Boredom is traditionally seen as an aversive state linked to impulsivity, overeating, and drug use. However, contemporary models suggest its negative outcomes stem from its role in motivating behavioural or cognitive shifts to find increased challenge or meaning in unstimulating situations. This study examined whether boredom promotes challenge-seeking, even when additional challenge offers no extrinsic value. In an experiment (N = 297), boredom was manipulated using a video-watching paradigm. Participants then completed 50 mental arithmetic problems, freely selecting difficulty from five levels, with no external rewards. Results did not support a preregistered main effect of the boredom manipulation on challenge selection. However, structural equation modelling, designed to disentangle the two proposed motivational consequences of boredom - increased desire for challenge versus increased desire for meaning - revealed a significant indirect effect: the boredom induction influenced individuals' self-reported desire to seek challenges, which, in turn, predicted challenge-seeking behaviour. In contrast, no such indirect effect emerged through self-reported desire to seek meaning. Furthermore, analyses revealed that challenge-seeking behaviour reduced boredom following induction and buffered against boredom formation in the control condition. These findings suggest boredom can motivate individuals to seek and engage in more challenging activities for the intrinsic value they provide in alleviating boredom.

Keywords: Boredom; effort-seeking behavior; intrinsic motivation.