Scientists Say Mindless Scrolling Through Online Videos Makes Boredom Worse

Researchers have investigated the psychological impacts of browsing online videos during downtime. Experiments reveal a surprising result: scrolling through TikTok or YouTube can heighten feelings of boredom, reports Washington Post.

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General highlights these paradoxical findings. Researchers from the University of Toronto Scarborough explored the concept of "digital switching." This habit involves rapidly flicking through and fast-forwarding video content, often in attempts to stay entertained.

Katy Y.Y. Tam, a postdoctoral researcher focused on psychology and boredom, spearheaded this study. Her interest arose from observing common behaviors, like endlessly scrolling through YouTube or skipping segments while watching on Netflix.

This behavior aligns with the "Boredom Feedback Model," a theory she co-authored in 2021. This model suggests that boredom stems from tension between actual and desired engagement levels. Lack of novelty or meaning can lead to increased boredom. For example, viewers often start a video but shuffle restlessly to the next suggested by the streaming algorithm.

"Since digital switching comprises frequent attention shifts, I wondered how this could impact our boredom levels," Tam stated via email.

In studies involving over 1,200 participants, many of whom were university students, Tam found that people frequently switched to new videos when feeling bored. They believed this switching helped but found it exacerbated their boredom.

In one test, participants watched a single 10-minute video. Then, they viewed seven shorter videos, where they could skip as desired. On average, participants skipped eight times, reporting greater boredom and feeling less satisfied than when they watched the single video. When allowed to skip within a 10-minute documentary, participants experienced similar results, indicating greater boredom on those occasions.

Erin C. Westgate, an assistant professor at the University of Florida who studies boredom, indicated the findings prompted her to reconsider her viewing habits. "I often switch between television series, watching part of an episode, and then jumping to another show," she confessed. She concluded that consistent viewing likely offers a better overall experience.

Subsequent tests sought to determine if the effects held true beyond video content. Researchers shifted their focus from videos to nature articles and enrolled a more diverse adult population. The findings differed, as people exhibited similar boredom levels regardless of whether they read one long article or multiple shorter ones.

This contributes to a growing body of research suggesting boredom is rising despite, or perhaps due to, an avalanche of available content. When bored, people tend to reach for their phones, only to report increased boredom later. Some studies link scrolling on social platforms, such as X, to heightened feelings of boredom.

Michael Inzlicht, a psychology professor and study co-author, reflects on rising boredom rates. He attributes this phenomenon to decreased immersion in activities. In his observation, multitasking — such as playing video games while watching shows — limits true engagement.

"Whenently absorbed, you don’t sense boredom. Wide attention disperses satisfaction," Inzlicht commented.

While boredom may be uncomfortable, it provides valuable signals. This emotion encourages individuals to seek enjoyable activities and reconsider time spent on less engaging tasks. Nevertheless, society's intolerance for boredom seems to be growing. Inzlicht suggests a surprising strategy: embrace the discomfort of boredom.

"If we avoid boredom entirely, it resembles an animal aimlessly roaming but never stopping enough to find fruit," he noted. "Ultimately, that animal will perish."

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