The Effects of Boredom on EFL Learners' Engagement

This article aims to delve into the role of boredom on students' engagement which has always attracted attention in that it is one of the most common academic feelings felt by students that causes them to feel more or less enthusiastic to engage in class activities, and there is a growing increase in such feelings among adolescents; therefore, its various dimensions should be taken into consideration. First and foremost, a variety of definitions from different points of view have been proposed. Then, with a focus on the distinction between state boredom and trait boredom which is one of the most radical classifications of boredom it has been continued. Following that, the antecedents of boredom are additionally taken into consideration along with the role of boredom in students' engagement that necessitates a few changes in the curriculum of schools. Moreover, some coping strategies on how to overcome boredom have been featured. Finally, in the discussion part, the emphasis of the points, which have been mentioned above, in the learning context for both teachers and students has been discussed, and new suggestions for further studies have been proposed.

Winning isn’t everything: The impact of optimally challenging Smartphone games on flow, game preference and individuals gaming to escape aversive bored states

Recently there has been concern surrounding the relation between flow and the development of problematic gaming among players who game to escape noxious mood states. There is a scarcity of research examining how this relation might extend to smartphone games. Here we assessed whether gaming to escape is characterized by heightened boredom proneness and depressive symptomology in everyday life in addition to negative consequences related to smartphone gaming. We also assessed whether escape players preferentially experience flow, positive affect and effectively less boredom than non-escape players. We also measured whether escape players had enhanced arousal and urge during actual gameplay. To compare the in-game experiences between escape and non-escape players, we characterized gaming to escape as the upper tercile of all escape scores in our sample (n = 20), and non-escape players as the lower tercile of escape scores (n = 20). As expected we showed that gaming to escape was associated with boredom proneness in everyday life, which was in itself correlated with depressive symptomology. During gameplay, those who game to escape boredom demonstrated heightened flow and positive affect compared to non-escape players. State boredom scores however were comparable between the two groups. Importantly, those who game to escape demonstrated greater arousal and urge-to-play following gameplay than non-escape players – but only for optimally challenging games. Findings converge to suggest that bored escape players may seek flow and its consequent positive affect for relief from states of hypo-arousal and monotony through optimally challenging games.

University Students' Multidimensional State Boredom and Strategies to Cope with Classroom Boredom

This study sought to examine how university students' state boredom dimensions (i.e., disengagement, high arousal, low arousal, inattention, and time perception) and their boredom coping strategies (i.e., cognitive approach, behavioral approach, cognitive avoidance, and behavioral avoidance) in the classroom are mediated in relation to gender and academic year. A total of 186 undergraduate students from a Turkish university, majoring in English language teaching in the faculty of education voluntarily participated in the study. The results indicated that the male participants experienced higher levels of boredom than the females in all levels of the state boredom. Additionally, the females had more inclination to use cognitive approach, while the male participants exhibited more behavioral approach to cope with boredom. Secondly, the participants with different academic levels only scored differently in disengagement, a state boredom dimension, and in cognitive approach, a boredom coping strategy. The findings highlight the significance of identifying student boredom and thereby specifying strategies to relieve their boredom in the classroom. Indeed, by gaining a proper understanding of the reactions triggered by boredom in classes, we would be able to spot the developmental paths of these reactions and thereby adopt the necessary measures to deal with student boredom.

WHEN TIME FLIES: STATE AND TRAIT BOREDOM, TIME PERCEPTION, AND HEDONIC TASK APPRAISALS

An abundance of empirical research has established that a robust, positive association exists between feelings of boredom and the illusion of temporal slowing. Although state and trait forms of boredom are distinct constructs, the way these variables interact with one another to impact time perception is unknown. To further explore the association between boredom and time perception, a modified replication of a study that examined the impact of discrepancies between expected and perceived time progression on hedonic appraisals was conducted. The paradigm was extended through the inclusion of validated measures of trait and recent state boredom. Seventy-two participants (N = 72, aged 18-52, M = 23.06, SD = 5.73) were led to believe that they would perform an intrinsically unengaging task for 5 (Time Drags), 10 (Real Time), or 15 minutes (Time Flies). Consistent with previous findings, participants in the Time Drags condition reported time as progressing significantly slower than participants in the other two conditions. Moreover, participants in the Time Drags condition rated the task as significantly more aversive than did participants in the Time Flies condition. This association remained significant even when controlling for levels of trait and recent state boredom. However, the Real Time and Time Flies conditions did not differ from one another in terms of task ratings or perceived time progression. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Boredom in Adolescence: Validation of the Italian Version of the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS) in Adolescents

Boredom in adolescence is often underestimated, although it may be the sign of a profound unease or be associated with psychological disorders. Given the complexity of the construct of boredom and its increasing prevalence among adolescents in recent years, the present study aimed to validate the factorial structure of the Italian version of the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS) in adolescents using a cross-validation approach. The study involved 272 students (33.8% males, 66.2% females) aged 14–19 (M = 15.9, SD = 1.38) living in northern and central Italy. In addition to the MSBS, the Symptoms Checklist 90-R (SCL 90-R) and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses validated a 23-item structure of the MSBS, comprising five correlated factors. The tool showed a good internal consistency for these factors and a good convergent and factor validity. The MSBS consequently seems a valid and reliable method for assessing boredom in adolescence. The cut-off for the total score that could pinpoint cases posing a potential clinical risk was 88. A weak correlation was found between the total level of boredom and the daily Internet usage, while no relationship emerged between boredom and age, gender, and grades. Since excessive levels of boredom may conceal a general unease that could develop into structured psychological disorders, the value of the MSBS lies in enabling us to identify in advance adolescents at potential clinical risk.

Alleviating state boredom through search for meaning and affirmation of workplace heroes

Purpose Employee boredom is of concern to organizations because of its impact on employees’ quality of work life and productivity. This study aims to test the regulation of workplace boredom through meaning in life by workplace heroes to contribute to theory by examining the relationships between the variables and to practice by uncovering the potential of workplace heroes in alleviating state boredom. Design/methodology/approach Using online surveys and structured interviews for a mixed-method study, data were collected for state boredom, meaning in life and hero affirmation at work for a quantitative study, and data from the open-ended questions provided further insights regarding hero affirmation at work for a qualitative study. Findings Spearman rank-order correlations concluded correlations between state boredom and meaning in life. However, unlike personal heroes that influence meaning in life, workplace heroes were found not to. The qualitative analysis revealed three prime differences between workplace and personal heroes: proximity, symbolic representation of ideologies and qualities admired in the heroes. These reasons entailed that state boredom was not regulated by workplace heroes. Originality/value The model of Coughlan et al. (2019) explored trait boredom regulation through meaning in life by personal heroes. This study tested for the regulation of state boredom through meaning in life by workplace heroes; thus, contributing to theory through a nuanced model with enhanced usefulness in practice. The study also further dissects the concept of heroes by uncovering differences between workplace and personal heroes that perpetrated the differences in the findings.

Effects of Different Types of Boredom on Foreign Language Learning

Although boredom is regarded as a unique emotion in foreign language learning (FLL), studies on the effect of different types of boredom on FLL have not been found. This study aimed to fill this gap by examining it in college students in China. Participants (N = 314) learned firstly and then took an immediate test and a delayed one after completing Boredom Tendency Scale (BPS) and the Multidimensional State Boredom Scale (MSBS) questionnaire. And the relationship between these two types of boredom (trait boredom; state boredom) and the numbers of words forgotten as the indicator of the effect of FLL was analyzed, the results showed that these two kinds of boredom had interacted, state boredom had main effect on foreign language learning, while trait boredom had no significant effect on it. This study provides initial support to understanding of the effect of different types of boredom on FLL and suggests that the influence of boredom should not be ignored in foreign language teaching.