Claire Hibbert

When Boredom Strikes

Background/Introduction
Imagine walking into your flat and hearing multiple gunshots go off, but instead of
something being terribly wrong, it is your flatmate firing a gun at a smiley face drawn on the
wall. Your flatmates explanation for doing this is simply because they are bored. Although this
seems extremely unrealistic, this happens in the TV series Sherlock, when John come homes and
finds Sherlock sending bullets into their wall. Sherlock Holmes dates back to the late 1800s
when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the fictional character. Many versions of Sherlock have
been made, including the modern day British TV series, Sherlock. In this particular series,
Sherlocks character is socially awkward and often gets agitated when he has nothing fun to
do- such as solving crimes. Sherlocks behavior changes and he becomes angry and impatient.
By watching Sherlocks attitude shift, it supports the idea that boredom negatively affects
behavior.
The idea that boredom impacts behavior is not an extremely new topic of concern.
Research on this matter goes back to more than 20 years ago, and each source, more or less,
concludes that boredom has a relationship with poor conduct. Each source provides their own
tests and evidence to back up the idea that boredom does in fact relate to negative behavior. In
my literature review section, each source does well with supporting my proposal. However, my
main goal in writing this paper is to not only provide evidence on how behavior is influenced by
boredom, but to also include my personal opinion on this topic.
I find that if boredom has almost always been a problem and has been known to cause
negative health effects, why hasnt there been any talk about solving this issue that many
people face? I think the boredom proneness scale is a great way to measure ones boredom, and I
think it would be beneficial to use it to help create a test or program people can take to figure out
what causes their boredom. One reason I think that students are easily bored in school is because
they take classes that do not appeal to them in any way. In countries such as England, the
students in university take classes they are interested in and what strictly go towards their
intended profession; I think switching to this education system in America would be a great start
to helping with the boredom issue.
Literature Review
Aggression, commonly associated with boredom, is often a form of lashing out in a way
to express how one is feeling. Usually this behavior is the result of a problem and not knowing
how to properly deal with it. In the Howcast video, Dr. J. Ryan Fuller, a clinical psychologist,
discusses the behavioral styles often associated with anger, one of which is aggression.
Aggression is a behavior style, which is the opposite of passive, that involves physical behavior
(can be verbal or have intention to harm another person), and confronts the problem head on very
aggressively (Howcast, 2015). Often boredom can trigger this aggression.
In the BBC TV series Sherlock, the idea of boredom leading to aggression is seen
throughout a couple of shows. In the second episode of the first season, Sherlock is shooting the
wall in his flat because his boredom is overwhelming and he has absolutely no idea what to do
except act in an aggressive way. When does have a crime case, he doesnt particular care for the
feelings of anyone; all he cares about is the thrill and excitement he gets when solving the
murders. Sherlocks boredom does make him lash out, but he never physically harms anyone,
however, he can sometimes be harsh verbally, such as the way he talks to John (Hibbert, 2015).

Comment [1]: For your heading, for the APA

style I think you are missing a few details.
These details include the date and the class.
Maybe consider looking up the heading style for
APA and add what is missing. (Maybe look at
Ashlyn's example paper for ideas)
Haley Cutrell
Comment [2]: Great title
Comment [3]: Good job on making your hook.
This instantly gets the reader interested in this
paper. From reading these first few sentences I
am able to tell that this paper is going to have
something to do with what happens when
people get bored.
Haley Cutrell
Comment [4]: I am guessing you do not
automatically know this information firsthand.
Unless you do, where did you get this
information from? This would be a good place to
site if you did get this info elsewhere.
Haley Cutrell

Comment [5]: This is a really well thought out

paragraph, however it doesnt really fit in with
the rest of your introduction. Perhaps adding
this to your conclusion of the "what am I adding
to the conversation" protion would help. I like
the thought because it brings up a way of teting
and solving the problem.
Em Asbill
Comment [6]: This isn't a review but just a
sidenote. Overall, I think you did very well on
this paper. It was easy to follow as well as
understand. As you will see I have made a few
comments here and there basically
proofreading the paper (just fixing a few quirks
here and there that you had in the paper) such
as things to consider when revising the second
time. Good job!
Comment [7]: missing a pronoun here
and particular should be particularly

Although we can clearly see through Sherlocks actions how boredom can impact someones
behavior, scientists have another way of monitoring an individuals boredom.
The Boredom Proneness Scale, (BPS), allows for scientists to adequately identify the
general characteristics that can be caused by boredom, such as hostile behavior, anger, and
aggression. The BPS, developed by Farmer and Sundberg, was created to help explore the
relationship between boredom proneness and negative behavior traits such as anger, hostility and
aggression. In Boredom Proneness in Anger and Aggression: Effects of Impulsiveness and
Sensation Seeking, by Dahlen, Martin, Ragan, & Kuhlman (2004) all, report that boredom
proneness leads to an increase in impulsiveness, sensation seeking, angry mood, and/or hostile
behavior. Vodanovich and Sommers (2000) also agree that boredom proneness can lead to a
variety of behavioral issues, such as obsessive-compulsive, hostility, anger, and anxiety.
Both articles conducted separate tests that relayed information that was similar. The one
done by Dahlem, Martin, Ragan, & Kuhlman (2004) was tested on 224 undergraduate students, it
was found that most people who had a higher BPS score reported more anger expression and
aggression. The test done by Vodanovich & Sommers (2000) was conducted on 200
undergraduate students at a public university that indicated significant correlations between
boredom proneness and negative social interactions/health issues. The results of both
experiments provided evidence that high levels of boredom proneness relates to a variation of
health and behavioral issues.
Along with boredom being linked to aggressive behavior, those who are more prone to
being bored tend to be less social, more alienated, and less assertive and it can be linked with
increased feelings of unhappiness, constraint, and monotony. Although it can be difficult to give
boredom an exact definition, the BPS helps connect different moods/states such as loneliness,
depression, hostility, apathy, and amotivation to boredom (Goldberg, Eastwood, LaGuardia, &
Danckert, 2011). In Correlates and Characteristics of Boredom Proneness and Boredom by
Mary Harris (2000), she agrees that even if boredom is viewed as a trait or state, is is usually
connected to negative behavior and affects.
According to Goldberg, Eastwood, LaGuardia, & Danckert (2011) boredom could be
defined as the feeling of having no intention or purpose and lacking interest in the current
specific activities, however it is considered difficult to have a concrete definition of boredom
because it is complex and it can be hard to distinguish from other similar mood states. The main
goal of both Harris (2000) and Goldberg, Eastwood, Laguardia, & Danckerts (2011) research
was to determine if boredom represents a unique mood state, and through multiple the studies the
results showed that boredom represents a clear and affective state. This was done by
interviewing people and asking them to explain their experiences with boredom, causes of
boredom, and techniques for coping with boredom (Harris, 2000).
As said before, boredom proneness can lead to behavioral issues such as aggression,
hostility, and anger but can also cause health issues such as depression, anxiety, and/or the
feeling of loneliness. However, boredom proneness can also lead to problems relating to job
performance, school performance, and underemployment. Neil Culp (2006) refers to boredom
proneness as individual differences of peoples likelihood of becoming bored in a given
situation. Often, students in class, no matter what grade, are bored because they arent interested
in the topic or they have no motivation to do any work. Studies have also shown that higher
levels of boredom proneness leads to negative effects such as anger and aggression, and it can
cause poor work performance/low job satisfaction (Culp, 2006).

Comment [8]: I like how you transitioned into

this paragraph. Bringing the BPS helps the
reader understand how scientists are able to
monitor an individual's boredom. This sentence
is also well-written making it easy for the reader
to understand.
Haley Cutrell

Comment [9]: Maybe not use the word 'one'

here. It makes the sentence read awkwardly
and it sounds less formal considering this is an
inquiry paper. It can be easy to lose track of
what is being talked about for a reader who is
new to this information.
Haley Cutrell

Comment [10]: it
Comment [11]: The way the paper is added in
is a bit awkward. Is this one of your cited
sources, if not I think it would flow better if you
just commented on the seconded opinion with
an intext citation. Otherwise this is a very good
way to close out the thought in this paragraph.
Em Asbill
Comment [12]: not needed

Watt and Hargis also agree the there is a relationship between boredom and job
performance and subjective underemployment. Usually, boredom prone people lack interest in
their surroundings. Jobs that involve repetitive activities, factory labor, and ongoing monitoring
tend to have workers with high boredom proneness and are dissatisfied with almost everything
about their job, including their work environment, coworkers, pay, supervision, etc which leads
to poor work performance. Subjective underemployment may also be linked to trait boredom;
individuals often express their beliefs that their strengths, knowledge, and skills are not being
efficiently put to use, resulting in subjective underemployment. (Watt & Hargis, 2010). It is clear
that boredom can have a negative affect on students in school and people in the workplace.
Entering the Conversation
More often than not, it is not considered problematic for someone to be bored and
problems related to boredom are frequently overlooked, primarily because most people are not
aware that boredom can negatively affect behavior. The sources I provided in this paper to help
support my claim relate to the negative effects of boredom; and then each source is grouped
based on which negative affects they focus on. One portion of my sources focuses on aggression
and the characteristics that correlate with it. This is link to my observation notes about
Sherlocks hostile behavior in his flat. The next sources revolve around how boredom creates
negative emotions and can alter an individual's state of mind. The last sources I grouped
together describe how boredom can cause poor work/job performance, and can create situations
where people have no motivation to participate in the current activities. Although Sherlock's
aggressive behavior in the third episode of the first season only corresponds to a few of the
sources relating to the types of negative behavior, it still backups the idea that boredom can
influence behaviors on many different levels.
Sherlock is not the only TV show where boredom is seen to have an effect on a character.
In the comedy TV series Malcolm in the Middle, the mains characters, who are also brothers,
Malcolm, Reece, and Dewey, repeatedly get into trouble for participating in mischievous
activities. More often than not, these acts happen because at least one of them is bored. As an
audience watching these shows, we often dont think anything of this rash behavior because we
know it's a TV show and presume it isnt necessarily true. However, what the viewers do not
realize is that boredom can actually lead to hostile actions, such as the ones we see in Malcolm in
the Middle and Sherlock.
Research has been done to prove that boredom can affect behavior and is linked to
negative health results, but if there has been extensive work on this topic, why hasnt anyone
tried figuring out ways to help with this boredom issue that clearly impacts a large amount of
people? The boredom proneness scale was mentioned several times in the literature review; its
main purpose is to evaluate how prone someone is to being bored. With this tool created by
scientists, I think it would be beneficial to use it to our advantage and possibly create a test or a
program people can take/enroll in to figure out what causes their boredom or lead us in the
direction to help with the problems people face when they become bored.
Boredom is seen in many different environments, such as in school or the workplace.
When boredom hits individuals who are in a place to work, it can cause an array of problems
because they become tired and end up having no motivation to do work; its a never ending
cycle- those who start off bored usually stay bored. More specifically related to school
performance, I think students often get bored because many of the classes they take arent related
to what they plan on furthering their education in. It is understandable that classes need to be
taken on general knowledge, but up to a certain age, or even just have one semester dedicated to

Comment [13]: should the year be

incorporated into this?

Comment [14]: "be bored and HAVE

problems related to.."
Comment [15]: Contrary to the biblical
proverb 16:27 "Idle hands are the devil's
workshop".... (Book chapter verse-bible)
Comment [16]: The wording of this sentance
is a little confusing to me. "for someone to be
bored and (have) problems related to boredom
ae frequently overlooked". Are you trying to say
that people who have problems with bordem
commonly over look their problems? Or are you
saying that people with bordem are commonly
over looked?
Em Asbill
Comment [17]: linked?
Comment [18]: backs up
Comment [19]: main

Comment [20]: should this be capitalized?

Comment [21]: I would remove the first

portion of this sentanc and start with something
like "I think it would be benificial to use this tool
to our advantage...." to make it less wordy. The
portion mentioning it was developed by
scientists is unnecessary. This is an intresting
thought, finding a way to end all bordom.
Em Asbill

courses that are considered prerequisites. In countries such as England, the students in
university take classes that appeal to them. I think it could be beneficial to switch to this
education system in America and would be a great start to helping with the boredom issue. This
would also help with motivation to do the work the students are assigned which correlates to
better school performance. When students receive good grades, it makes them want to engage
more in the class and makes the class seem more enjoyable.
Although listed above are a couple of ways that could help with this problem, technology
is something people use on a daily basis, one reason being it helps fix their boredom. The
advancement of phones has helped drown out our boredom for a short period of time; I even use
it to help pass the time. Many people have become very dependent on their phones and that
makes it easier to pull it out when theyre bored and use it as a source of entertainment. Now this
may seem like a great tool to use with helping the boredom problem, but using a smartphone as
an aid can have its drawbacks. Using a phone doesnt involve any activity and doesnt normally
involve brain stimulation. Not being active can also lead to the problems that are caused by
boredom, such as anxiety, depression, and being more alienated. It is highly unlikely to find a
way for people to not use their phone as often, so instead we can use smartphones to our
advantage. Since they are such common way for people to ease their boredom, an app could be
created that keeps the mind moving but also is something that keeps people interested. The test
mentioned above could also be incorporated into this app in order to get a variety of responses
from different people on how boredom affects them.
Another way to help with boredom without relying on phones and without necessarily
creating anything, is to do little tasks everyday. For example, someone who constantly feels
bored could carry around a pen and paper to keep themselves entertained. By drawing on paper
instead of playing on their phones keeps the brain moving and usually keeps them entertained.
When the brain is occupied, such as being focused on doodling on a piece of paper, it often
makes the time go by faster. When it feels like time is going by faster, it usually corresponds to
not feeling bored. Considering the resources that scientists have, such as the BPS, I think we can
figure out a tool that helps decrease the problems associated with boredom.
Conclusion/So What?
Every person experiences boredom at some point in their life, even if its for a short
period of time, however, in more extreme cases, boredom can consume an individuals life. Most
people dont normally associate boredom with poor behavior, but in multiple studies, evidence
has been found that connects boredom proneness to behavioral issues. The purpose of my paper
was to not only provide facts supporting my claim that boredom affects behavior, but to also
share my input on the current situation. With the amount of research that we have on this topic, I
think we can head towards the direction of solving this problem. For example, scientists who use
the BPS for experiments could work together to create a test or program that could help those
who suffer from the negative effects of boredom, such as aggression, hostility, loneliness, etc.
Another idea that might be beneficial is to change the University system in America and convert
to taking classes that the student is interested in/goes towards their intended area of study.
Although these are only a couple suggestions, I think my contributions will make a difference. I
have done research on this topic which enabled me to form my own opinion based off of the
information I found. Though my new ideas probably wont be something people choose to do, it
may spark the minds of others and have them think about what can be done on this topic. I am
confident that those who care and are proficiently researched in this topic can come up with a
way to help with the problems that many face from boredom proneness. But why does this topic

Comment [22]: I really like how you have

incorperated this thought in all of the sections of
your paper. It helps to tie all of the sections
together, and you have backed it up repeatedly.
It ties in really well with your clame through out
the paper. great job!
Em Asbill
Comment [23]: in previous times you have
this as 'university' but here you have it as
'University'. I think you should keep it
consistent.

matter; what makes it so important? Firstly, boredom isnt a sickness; it cant be fixed by taking
medicine and feeling better within a few days. It is a complicated concept because everyone gets
bored for different reasons and reacts differently to being bored. However, just because it is
difficult does not mean it should be overlooked. This topic matters because it is a universal
problem; nearly anyone you talk to can answer the question what makes you bored? and
almost everyone can agree that being bored can sometimes make you feel alone or angered. By
looking more in depth into this problem, we can further our knowledge and assist in making this
issue no longer an issue. As listed above, there is a good amount of information and research
pertaining to how boredom affects behavior, such as causing aggression and alienation.
However, it hasnt been determined why being bored can do this to someone. Is there a
particular reason being bored can make someone lash out or become less sociable? If we can
figure out the whys of this boredom problem, it will push us in the direction towards helping
those who suffer from the negative effects of boredom.
Works Cited:
Culp, N. (2006). The relations of two facets of boredom proneness with the major dimensions of
personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 41(6), 999-1007. Retrieved October 17,
2015, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886906001425
Dahlen, E., Martin, R., Ragan, K., & Kuhlman, M. (2004). Boredom proneness in anger and
aggression: Effects of impulsiveness and sensation seeking. Personality and Individual
Differences, 37(8), 1615-1627. Retrieved October 16, 2015, from
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886904000571
Goldberg, Y., Eastwood, J., LaGuardia, J., & Danckert, J. (2011). Boredom: An Emotional
Experience Distinct from Apathy, Anhedonia, or Depression. Journal of Social and Clinical
Psychology, 30(6). Retrieved October 10, 2015, from
http://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2011.30.6.647
Harris, M. (2000). Correlates and Characteristics of Boredom Proneness and Boredom. Journal
of Applied Social Psychology, 30(3), 576-598. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2000.tb02497.x/abstract
Hibbert, C. (2015). Assignment One: Observation Analysis Notes on BBC TV series, Sherlock.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte, NC.
Howcast (2015, August 10). 3 Behavior Styles Associated with Anger | Anger Management
[Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62J2VvtdIg8
Vodanovich, S., & Sommers, J. (2000). Boredom Proneness: Its Relationship to Psychologicaland Physical-Health Symptoms. Journal of Clinical Psychology. Retrieved October 10, 2015,
from
http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen_Vodanovich/publication/12654245_Boredom_pron
eness_its_relationship_to_psychological-_and_physicalhealth_symptoms/links/0deec5315ed0cdc1ef000000.pdf

Comment [24]: Consider breaking this into

two different paragraphs. It is a lot to read as
one continuing thought, and you have enough
seperation in some portions to split it into more
than the large paragraph. You did an awesome
job bringing up the portions you thought were
important, and defending your claim through out
everything. Very well done
Em Asbill

Watt, J., & Hargis, M. (2010). Boredom Proneness: Its Relationship with Subjective
Underemployment, Perceived Organizational Support, and Job Performance. Journal of Business
and Psychology, 25(1), 1-12. Retrieved October 10, 2015, from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40605754