Psychology

Bored by bothering? A cost-value approach to pandemic boredom

C. S. Martarelli, W. Wolff, et al.

This fascinating research by Corinna S. Martarelli, Wanja Wolff, and Maik Bieleke reveals an intriguing paradox: higher adherence to COVID-19 containment measures can lead to increased boredom. However, the study also uncovers that greater perceived value and lower effort can significantly diminish this boredom. Dive into the insights from a large-scale study involving over 1500 participants that explores the dynamics of compliance and boredom during challenging times.

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Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between adherence to COVID-19 containment measures, the value and effort associated with adherence, and the experience of boredom. Using a high-powered study (N = 1553 US participants), the researchers found that higher compliance with behavioral recommendations was linked to more boredom, but that high value and low effort directly decreased boredom. These findings held across different time points, US states with varying restrictions, and individual differences in boredom proneness.

Publisher

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Published On

Sep 21, 2021

Authors

Corinna S. Martarelli, Wanja Wolff, Maik Bieleke