scholarly journals Boredom is the root of all evil — or is it? A psychometric network approach to individual differences in behavioral responses to boredom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maik Bieleke ◽  
Leonie Ripper ◽  
Julia Schüler ◽  
Wanja Wolff

Functional accounts of boredom propose that boredom serves as an impartial signal to change something about the current situation, which should give rise to adaptive and maladaptive behavior alike. This contrasts with research on boredom proneness, which has overwhelmingly shown associations with maladaptive behavior. To shed light on this discrepancy, we disentangled boredom proneness from individual differences in (1) the urge to avoid and escape boredom and (2) adaptive and maladaptive ways of dealing with boredom. In a high-powered study (N = 636), psychometric network modeling revealed tight associations between boredom proneness and less adaptive and (especially) more maladaptive ways of dealing with boredom. However, its associations with the urge to avoid and escape boredom were rather weak. Importantly, a higher urge to avoid and escape boredom was linked not only to more maladaptive but also to more adaptive ways of dealing with boredom. This pattern of results was robust across various specific behaviors that have previously been linked to boredom. Our findings provide novel evidence for functional accounts of boredom from an individual difference perspective, cautioning against a shallow view of boredom as a purely maladaptive experience.

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Arceneaux

AbstractIntuitions guide decision-making, and looking to the evolutionary history of humans illuminates why some behavioral responses are more intuitive than others. Yet a place remains for cognitive processes to second-guess intuitive responses – that is, to be reflective – and individual differences abound in automatic, intuitive processing as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-195
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Kelley ◽  
Adrienne L. Crowell

Abstract. Two studies tested the hypothesis that self-reported sense of smell (i.e., metacognitive insight into one’s olfactory ability) predicts disgust sensitivity and disgust reactivity. Consistent with our predictions two studies demonstrated that disgust correlates with self-reported sense of smell. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated, from an individual difference perspective, that trait-like differences in disgust relate to self-reported sense of smell. Physical forms of disgust (i.e., sexual and pathogen disgust) drove this association. However, the association between self-reported sense of smell and disgust sensitivity is small, suggesting that it is likely not a good proxy for disgust sensitivity. The results of Study 2 extended this finding by demonstrating that individual differences in self-reported sense of smell influence how individuals react to a disgusting olfactory stimulus. Those who reported having a better sense of smell (or better insight into their olfactory ability) found a disgusting smell significantly more noxious as compared to participants reporting having a poor sense of smell (or poor insight into their olfactory ability). The current findings suggest that a one-item measure of self-reported sense of smell may be an effective tool in disgust research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Białek ◽  
Przemysław Sawicki

Abstract. In this work, we investigated individual differences in cognitive reflection effects on delay discounting – a preference for smaller sooner over larger later payoff. People are claimed to prefer more these alternatives they considered first – so-called reference point – over the alternatives they considered later. Cognitive reflection affects the way individuals process information, with less reflective individuals relying predominantly on the first information they consider, thus, being more susceptible to reference points as compared to more reflective individuals. In Experiment 1, we confirmed that individuals who scored high on the Cognitive Reflection Test discount less strongly than less reflective individuals, but we also show that such individuals are less susceptible to imposed reference points. Experiment 2 replicated these findings additionally providing evidence that cognitive reflection predicts discounting strength and (in)dependency to reference points over and above individual difference in numeracy.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelly Renee Cooper ◽  
Joshua James Jackson ◽  
Deanna Barch ◽  
Todd Samuel Braver

Neuroimaging data is being increasingly utilized to address questions of individual difference. When examined with task-related fMRI (t-fMRI), individual differences are typically investigated via correlations between the BOLD activation signal at every voxel and a particular behavioral measure. This can be problematic because: 1) correlational designs require evaluation of t-fMRI psychometric properties, yet these are not well understood; and 2) bivariate correlations are severely limited in modeling the complexities of brain-behavior relationships. Analytic tools from psychometric theory such as latent variable modeling (e.g., structural equation modeling) can help simultaneously address both concerns. This review explores the advantages gained from integrating psychometric theory and methods with cognitive neuroscience for the assessment and interpretation of individual differences. The first section provides background on classic and modern psychometric theories and analytics. The second section details current approaches to t-fMRI individual difference analyses and their psychometric limitations. The last section uses data from the Human Connectome Project to provide illustrative examples of how t-fMRI individual differences research can benefit by utilizing latent variable models.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte A. Hudson ◽  
Liam Satchell ◽  
Nicole M Adams-Quackenbush

Purpose: Investigative interviews are complex, dyadic, activities typically studied by focusing on developing techniques to improve witness performance. However, in field settings, interviewers are known to vary in their presentation of good interviewing practice. Thus, it is important to conduct research reflective of complex idiosyncrasies in witnesses, interviewers and unique pairings of both. This study explores such sources of variation in an by making use of a 'round-robin' design. Such methodology allows the statistical demonstration of individual difference and unique partner-generated variance in interview performance. Methods: In our study, a total of 45 witnesses were questioned about five real crime videos. After witnessing each event, witnesses were interviewed by a different interviewer (or a computer self-administered interview). In total, nine 'rounds' of interviews occurred, with five new witnesses being interviewed in the same five interview settings (resulting in 225 interviews). After each interview both interviewers and witnesses were asked to complete subjective interview experience ratings. The quality (grain size) and quantity of information in the statements was coded to index witness report accuracy. Results: Principally, the results demonstrate the degree to which witnesses and interviewers affect statement quality, and highlight the influence of unique interviewer-witness pairs. (Participant personality and interviewer behaviour were also analysed, but with limited effects). Conclusion: This study presents the useful round-robin methodology for studying interviewer-witness behaviour. Whilst the current personality and behavioural measures do not account for these individual differences, we advocate this methodology be adopted more widely to better understand interview performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 555-555
Author(s):  
Walter Boot ◽  
Nelson Roque ◽  
Erin Harrell ◽  
Neil Charness

Abstract Adherence to health behaviors is often poor, including adherence to at-home technology-based interventions. This study (N=120) explored adherence to a cognitive training intervention delivered via computer tablet, assessed adherence over a 4.5 month period, explored how individual difference factors shaped adherence, and tested the efficacy of message framing manipulations (positive vs. negative framing) in boosting adherence. Individual difference factors predicted adherence, including variations in self-efficacy and belief in the efficacy of cognitive training. Overall message framing had little impact. However, during the final portion of the study in which participants were asked to play as much or as little as they wanted instead of following a schedule, participants who received positively framed messages engaged with the intervention more. Implications for predicting and boosting adherence to home delivered technology-based interventions will be discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (32) ◽  
pp. 19061-19071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Joel ◽  
Paul W. Eastwick ◽  
Colleen J. Allison ◽  
Ximena B. Arriaga ◽  
Zachary G. Baker ◽  
...  

Given the powerful implications of relationship quality for health and well-being, a central mission of relationship science is explaining why some romantic relationships thrive more than others. This large-scale project used machine learning (i.e., Random Forests) to 1) quantify the extent to which relationship quality is predictable and 2) identify which constructs reliably predict relationship quality. Across 43 dyadic longitudinal datasets from 29 laboratories, the top relationship-specific predictors of relationship quality were perceived-partner commitment, appreciation, sexual satisfaction, perceived-partner satisfaction, and conflict. The top individual-difference predictors were life satisfaction, negative affect, depression, attachment avoidance, and attachment anxiety. Overall, relationship-specific variables predicted up to 45% of variance at baseline, and up to 18% of variance at the end of each study. Individual differences also performed well (21% and 12%, respectively). Actor-reported variables (i.e., own relationship-specific and individual-difference variables) predicted two to four times more variance than partner-reported variables (i.e., the partner’s ratings on those variables). Importantly, individual differences and partner reports had no predictive effects beyond actor-reported relationship-specific variables alone. These findings imply that the sum of all individual differences and partner experiences exert their influence on relationship quality via a person’s own relationship-specific experiences, and effects due to moderation by individual differences and moderation by partner-reports may be quite small. Finally, relationship-quality change (i.e., increases or decreases in relationship quality over the course of a study) was largely unpredictable from any combination of self-report variables. This collective effort should guide future models of relationships.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajay B. Raval

In the Era of Change, teacher should consider the individual differences while teaching in the classroom. In fact teacher must keep in mind the individual differences for teaching. Students have so many talent, we as a teacher must have that angel of view of identifying it. This individual difference can be divided in dimension of Learning Style, too. Researcher was giving service in High School as a teacher, he observe such an Individual difference in context to learning style in class room. Is there any relationship between Educational Achievement and Learning Style? Is there any effect of Learning Style on Educational Achievement in reference to Area? To find the answer of this question present study was conducted. Population & Sample: Population for present study was students studying in Standard-XI of Gujarati Medium School of Gandhinagar District. The selection of schools was by Stratified Randomization Technique and selection of students was selected by Cluster Method. In last, the Sample size was 607. Method: Survey Method was used for Data Collection. Tool: Self constructed Learning Style Inventory (L.S.I.) was used for Data Collection. Learning Style Inventory (L.S.I.) was three Point Likert type Scale. Findings: 1) There was no significance different in educational achievement among students having Visual Learning Style, Auditorial Learning Style and Kinesthetic Learning Style. 2) In matter of educational achievement, students of Rural are superior to students of Urban among students having Visual Learning Style. 3) In matter of educational achievement, students of Rural are superior to students of Urban among students having Auditorial Learning Style. 4) In matter of educational achievement, students of Urban are superior to students of Rural among students having Kinesthetic Learning Style.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. Cacioppo ◽  
Catherine J. Norris ◽  
Jean Decety ◽  
George Monteleone ◽  
Howard Nusbaum

Prior research has shown that perceived social isolation (loneliness) motivates people to attend to and connect with others but to do so in a self-protective and paradoxically self-defeating fashion. Although recent research has shed light on the neural correlates of social perception, cooperation, empathy, rejection, and love, little is known about how individual differences in loneliness relate to neural responses to social and emotional stimuli. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we show that there are at least two neural mechanisms differentiating social perception in lonely and nonlonely young adults. For pleasant depictions, lonely individuals appear to be less rewarded by social stimuli, as evidenced by weaker activation of the ventral striatum to pictures of people than of objects, whereas nonlonely individuals showed stronger activation of the ventral striatum to pictures of people than of objects. For unpleasant depictions, lonely individuals were characterized by greater activation of the visual cortex to pictures of people than of objects, suggesting that their attention is drawn more to the distress of others, whereas nonlonely individuals showed greater activation of the right and left temporo-parietal junction to pictures of people than of objects, consistent with the notion that they are more likely to reflect spontaneously on the perspective of distressed others.


Author(s):  
Andrew LaZella

The conclusion engages problems facing our cognition of ultimate differences, in particular ultimate individual difference. Against the more orthodox Aristotelian tradition, which held that the intellect grasps universals, the senses sense individuals, Scotus argues that there is nothing per seunintelligible about singulars. Rather, as the culmination of being, singularity marks the culmination of intelligibility. With respect to the wayfarer, however, neither the intellect nor the senses grasp singulars. The conclusion shows why Scotus holds that ultimate individual differences resist direct cognition. Despite our incapacity for de reintellectual states, some scattered claims Scotus makes regarding the possibility for de revolitional states are explored. That is, Scotus thinks that we need to form beliefs about and establish affective attitudes toward individuals, and not merely something similar to them. This discussion leads us back to Solomon’s difficulty. This difficulty should be understood not so much as a burden inflicted upon us in the wayfarer state due to our embodiment or sinful fallenness, but rather as an example of a more general Franciscan celebration of creatures in their singularity.


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