The Psychology of Boredom

The Psychology of Boredom

When we experience boredom, we tend to experience it as uncomfortable and agitating, and seek to banish it with some ready distraction. Or, we try to look at boredom sort of piously, as something we should learn to sit with, because it builds character.

My guest today would argue that it's best to see boredom more neutrally -- as simply an important signal that we need to change up what we're doing, and become more effective and engaged in the world.

His name is James Danckert, and he's a cognitive neuroscientist and professor of psychology, as well as the co-author of Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom. We begin our conversation with how boredom has been thought about in history and philosophy, and yet largely ignored by psychologists. We then discuss what it really means to be bored and what types of people are most prone to boredom. James explains how boredom is related to our sense of agency and the role constraints play in increasing it. We then get into how people's propensity towards boredom changes across the lifespan, and at what ages you're more and less likely to experience it. We end our conversation with the negative effects of being boredom prone, including the way boredom may increase political extremism, and the more positive and adaptive ways to deal with being bored.

Get the show notes at aom.is/boredom.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(1159)

How to Use Leverage Points to Get Unstuck in Work and Life

How to Use Leverage Points to Get Unstuck in Work and Life

When people get stuck in their job or personal life, the common response is to either work harder or shrug and accept that "that's just the way things are."My guest today has a much better solution to...

21 Jan 202550min

Stop Saying Um (And Fix the Other Vocal Tics That Are Sabotaging Your Speaking)

Stop Saying Um (And Fix the Other Vocal Tics That Are Sabotaging Your Speaking)

Think about a time you've had to speak in front of others — maybe during a work presentation, a wedding toast, or even on a first date. Did you struggle with using too many filler words, such as "um" ...

14 Jan 202548min

Man's Search for Meaning, With Viktor Frankl's Grandson

Man's Search for Meaning, With Viktor Frankl's Grandson

I first read Man's Search for Meaning by the neurologist, psychologist, and philosopher Viktor Frankl in high school, and I have re-read it several times since. It's one of the books that's had the bi...

7 Jan 202556min

How to Hack the Habit Loop to Build a Better Life

How to Hack the Habit Loop to Build a Better Life

Think about your habits, the things you do automatically without much thought — from brushing your teeth in the morning to scrolling social media before bed.There’s a lot going on with these behaviors...

30 Des 202449min

Philosophical Tools for Living the Good Life

Philosophical Tools for Living the Good Life

Note: This is a rebroadcast.Most everyone wants to live a good, meaningful life, though we don’t always know what that means and how to do it. Plenty of modern self-improvement programs claim to point...

25 Des 20241h 2min

The 6 Principles for Writing Messages People Won't Swipe Away

The 6 Principles for Writing Messages People Won't Swipe Away

Think of all the texts, emails, and social media posts you're inundated with each day. Sometimes you read them, and sometimes you swipe them away, telling yourself, perhaps not so honestly, that you'l...

23 Des 202448min

The Swiss Army Knife of Fitness — How to Get Lean, Strong, and Flexible With Kettlebells Alone

The Swiss Army Knife of Fitness — How to Get Lean, Strong, and Flexible With Kettlebells Alone

What if there was one piece of fitness equipment that was affordable, didn’t take up much space, could get you both strong and flexible, and was fun to use?While that might sound too good to be true, ...

18 Des 202450min

The Roman Caesars' Guide to Ruling

The Roman Caesars' Guide to Ruling

The Roman caesars were the rulers of the Roman Empire, beginning in 27 BC with Julius Caesar’s heir Augustus, from whom subsequent caesars took their name, and lasting until around the fall of the Wes...

16 Des 202457min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
mikkels-paskenotter
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
treningspodden
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-bisarr-historie
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
gravid-uke-for-uke
sinnsyn
level-up-med-anniken-binz
rss-kull
hverdagspsyken
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
rss-bak-luftfarten
hagespiren-podcast
rss-kunsten-a-leve
fryktlos