Why boredom is interesting
Boredom is a powerful emotion, one which many of us will go to lengths to avoid. In this edition of the Why Factor, Sandra Kanthal asks why boredom is actually quite interesting.
Boredom is a powerful emotion, one which many of us will go to lengths to avoid. Psychologists describe its purpose as trying to get us to do something else. Boredom can spur us on to do something more meaningful, or tempt us into dangerous behaviours. In this edition of the Why Factor, Sandra Kanthal talks with researchers who think boredom is anything but boring.
Image: A bored woman behind a rainy window in a tram, (c) Getty Images.
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Clip
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Does everyone get bored?
Duration: 01:32
Broadcasts
- Mon 20 Aug 2018 12:32GMTBBC World Service except News Internet
- Mon 20 Aug 2018 21:06GMTBBC World Service except News Internet
- Tue 21 Aug 2018 01:32GMTBBC World Service except News Internet
- Mon 27 Aug 2018 05:32GMTBBC World Service South Asia
- Mon 13 May 2019 12:32GMTBBC World Service except News Internet
- Mon 13 May 2019 17:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia
- Mon 13 May 2019 21:06GMTBBC World Service
- Tue 14 May 2019 01:32GMTBBC World Service
- Mon 20 May 2019 08:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
Podcast
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The Why Factor
The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions