Scrolling through videos on social media to combat boredom might actually worsen the feeling, according to a recent study. Dr. Katy Tam, a psychology researcher from the University of Toronto, explains that while people often skip or speed up videos to avoid being bored, this habit tends to increase boredom instead. This behavior also reduces the overall enjoyment and value of watching videos.
The maximum length for Instagram Reels is 90 seconds, while YouTube Shorts can be 60 seconds long at most. However, videos as short as 1 second are also quite popular. “Our research shows that while people fast-forward or skip videos to avoid boredom, this behaviour actually increases boredom. It also makes their viewing experience less satisfying, less engaging, and less meaningful,” CNN quoted Dr. Tam as saying.
Despite the abundance of entertainment options, research from 2008 to 2020 indicates that young people are experiencing more boredom. Dr. Tam notes that this trend is worrisome because boredom can lead to negative effects on mental health, learning, and behavior, including depression, lower academic performance, and even harmful behaviors.
Researchers explored how fast-forwarding and video-switching impact boredom. They conducted two experiments with around 1,200 participants. In one experiment, participants were shown a 10-minute video they couldn’t skip or fast-forward. Afterward, they had a session to choose between seven shorter videos. In the follow-up experiment, they first watched a 10-minute video and were then allowed to freely navigate a 50-minute video by fast-forwarding or rewinding.
The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, reveals that participants initially believed they would enjoy being able to switch or fast-forward videos during the experiments. However, after the experiments, they reported that watching a single video from start to finish felt more engaging and fulfilling.
According to Dr. Tam, boredom arises when there’s a difference between the level of engagement we experience and the level we desire. Constantly switching videos, a common practice while watching Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, prevents people from fully immersing themselves in any one video, leading them to seek something more entertaining. This constant search for the next exciting thing can contribute to a cycle of increasing boredom.
