Mindless Scrolling: The Cure for Boredom or Just Making It Worse?
Could your endless scrolling be the very reason you’re bored out of your mind?
A recent study from the University of Toronto Scarborough reveals that mindlessly scrolling through videos, thinking it will relieve boredom, can actually make you feel more bored.
The research, led by postdoctoral researcher Katy Y.Y. Tam, involved over 1,200 participants and found that “digital switching” — the habit of flicking through content — amplifies boredom rather than alleviates it.
In controlled experiments, participants who skipped through videos or fast-forwarded content reported feeling less satisfied and more disengaged compared to those who watched a single video in full. This counterintuitive finding challenges our instinct to endlessly search for entertainment, suggesting that sitting with a single, longer piece of content might actually be more fulfilling.
As boredom rises in an age of limitless content, are we simply making it worse by constantly chasing the next distraction?
Read the full article on Washington Post.
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