Scrolling through videos deepens boredom, study reveals

Jumping between TikToks, reels, and shorts seems like a straightforward way to alleviate boredom. However, research from the University of Toronto has shown that this method of consuming digital content only deepens boredom.

Researchers from the University of Toronto studied the paradox of scrolling through videos on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts. We reach for our phones and start "scrolling," motivated by boredom and the need for stimulation. Surprisingly, quickly jumping between a vast amount of content only intensifies the feeling of boredom.

The research team, led by Dr. Katy Tam, conducted seven experiments involving over 1,200 participants. An online study with 231 people revealed that individuals believed the ability to skip a video or switch to another would make watching videos less boring. However, experiments published in the "Journal of Experimental Psychology: General" suggest the opposite may be true.

Data from a group of 166 students showed that participants felt more bored when they were allowed to skip forward and backward in the video compared to when they did not have this option. Conversely, results from an experiment involving 159 students indicated higher levels of boredom when given a collection of five-minute videos among which they could freely switch, compared to a single 10-minute video.

Interestingly, this effect diminished when a group with a broader age range than the student group participated in the same study with five-minute videos and "skipping" or a single 10-minute video. Dr. Tam commented to "The Guardian": "We suspected that people of different ages might have different habits when it comes to watching videos and switching." The researcher added, "How people watch videos and how it affects boredom may differ depending on age and digital media habits, but further research is needed to verify this."

Dr. Tam suggested it is worth pausing before pressing scroll or skip and finding a way to focus. She stated, "Our research shows that while people scroll forward through videos or skip them to avoid boredom, such behavior may actually make them feel more bored." The researcher explained, "Just as we pay for immersive experiences at the cinema, pleasure often comes from 'immersing' in films, not 'browsing' them."

Source: theguardian.com