A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General suggests that digital switching, contrary to its intended purpose, may increase feelings of boredom rather than alleviate them.
The research, conducted across seven experiments involving 1,223 participants, investigated the relationship between digital switching behavior and boredom. Digital switching refers to the act of switching between or within digital content, such as videos or articles.
The study tested two main hypotheses: (1) that boredom drives digital switching, and (2) that digital switching paradoxically intensifies boredom.
In Study 1, involving 140 participants aged 18-78, researchers found that participants switched videos more frequently in a "boring" condition (mean = 9.56 switches, SD = 8.50) compared to an "interesting" condition (mean = 6.26 switches, SD = 9.17). This supported the first hypothesis that boredom drives digital switching.
Study 2, a vignette study with 231 participants, explored people's perceptions about switching. Participants predicted they would feel less bored when allowed to switch, contradicting the study's second hypothesis.
Studies 3-5, conducted with university student samples, consistently found that digital switching increased boredom. In Study 3, participants reported higher boredom in the switching condition (mean = 3.72, SD = 1.93) compared to the no-switching condition (mean = 3.26, SD = 1.82). Similar patterns were observed in Studies 4 and 5.
Studies 6 and 7, which used more diverse samples, yielded mixed results. These studies found that the order of conditions influenced boredom levels, with participants reporting less boredom in the no-switching condition only when it was presented first.
Study 6 specifically examined digital switching while reading articles, while Study 7 explored the concept of opportunity cost. In Study 7, participants reported higher opportunity cost in the switching condition (mean = 3.71, SD = 1.74) compared to the no-switching condition (mean = 3.18, SD = 1.82).
The researchers suggest that enjoyment likely comes from immersing oneself in videos rather than switching between them. They note that digital switching may disrupt content flow and reduce attention and meaning, potentially leading to increased boredom.
The study's findings have implications for understanding how digital media consumption patterns might influence cognitive states such as boredom. Further research is needed to explore these effects in different contexts and populations.
No conflicts of interest were disclosed by the researchers.
