Is Trait Boredom About What You Feel or How You Want to Respond to Boring Situations?

If state boredom signals that ones cognitive resources are not engaged in a situation and pushes an individual to seek cognitive engagement, then this study tested the idea that trait boredom moderates the impact of a boring situation on individuals response motivations, as opposed to individuals experience of state boredom. Participants were randomly assigned to watch a boring or a non-boring video clip after completing the Short Boredom Proneness Scale (SBPS). All participants rated their state boredom experience and response motivations before and after watching their assigned video. The situation and SBPS independently predicted state boredom experience, however only the SBPS predicted certain response motivations (uncertainty of what to do, difficulties with amotivation/avolition, and lack of motivation to seek meaning or creativity). The SBPS also interacted with the situation in predicting participants motivation to seek relief and to be destructive. The implications of the findings and future directions are discussed.