How do online videos make us feel bored?

A new study shows that frequently switching between online videos, especially on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, can lead to a significant increase in feelings of boredom. This research establishes a direct relationship between boredom and people’s attention and shows that the continuous change of video content, instead of increasing enjoyment, leads to a decrease in interaction and, as a result, intensification of the feeling of mental fatigue.

The results of this research are consistent with the findings of previous studies. Previous research has shown that while using social media and smartphones can be seen as a way to reduce feelings of boredom, in the long term, this behavior can actually exacerbate the feeling.

In this study, researchers conducted seven experiments with the participation of more than 1,200 people. The results of these experiments showed that participants tended to switch between videos more when they rated the video content as more boring. Also, the study found that, contrary to popular belief, being able to switch between videos or look for more interesting parts of a video not only doesn’t reduce boredom, it can actually exacerbate the feeling.

The researchers found that participants who were allowed to freely switch between different videos reported feeling more bored than those who were restricted to watching one long video. These findings show that frequent switching between videos, instead of increasing enjoyment, leads to a decrease in concentration and, as a result, an increase in the feeling of mental fatigue. However, the results of this study showed that other factors such as age and media habits can also influence the effect of switching between videos on the feeling of boredom.

Overall, the results of this research show that to have an enjoyable video watching experience, it is better to focus on one video and enjoy it instead of constantly switching between videos. This helps us to manage our attention better and avoid mental fatigue.