Boredom Effect On The Brain
A large portion of the population have recurrently experienced boredom. The purpose of this study was to determine whether boredom has an effect on the brain and which wave lengths are affected. Once more information is provided on this topic, it will be easier to understand the effects of boredom on the brain, as well as what activities and attention spans are ideal to maximize activity and prevent boredom.
The effects that boredom has on the brain were first studied by Katamyama and Natsume (2012). The purpose of their study was to look at the relationship between physiological aspects of boredom and efficient learning; in hopes that they could change the educational system to determine optimal timing for rest or when learning material must …show more content…
be changed (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). The participants consisted of four males (M = 24, SD = 2). Electroencephalogram’s (EEG) were used to study the participants brain waves; eight electrodes were placed on the participants scalp (F2, F3, C2, F4, P2, O2, T4) according to the international 10/20 system (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). The participants recorded a calm state with their eyes open for 30 seconds. A rhythm instruction material (RIM) was then asked to be completed 15 consecutive times. The participants were asked to raise their hand when they felt bored (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). The entire experiment took 18 to 19 minutes. The results showed that in several electrodes alpha, beta and delta waves remained constant at the beginning, however, began to decrease after 200 seconds (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). Theta waves remained constant (Katayama & Natsume, 2012).
Another article focused on boredom relating to goal directed behaviour and positive and negative affect (Mathiak, Klasen, Zvyagintsev, Weber & Mathiak, 2013).
Based on previous research, it was suggested that boredom occurs when there is no self-sustained attention. The purpose of Mathiak et al. (2013) study was to mediate whether goal-directed behaviour is due to boredom and affect. The study included 13 male participants who were regular video game players. The study incorporated a video game “Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror” to demonstrate if boredom leads to goal-directed behaviour, a positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS) and a three-ton magnetic resonance (MR) scanner that used a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) software (Mathiak et al., 2013). There was a 30-minute familiarization period where participants became familiar with controllers and joysticks. The participants then completed five fMRI sessions while free playing in 12-minute sessions. The participants completed a PANAS before and after entering the scanner (Mathiak et al., 2013). The results showed that goal-directed behaviour occurred in most tasks (non-goal directed behaviour was begin in a safe zone or no task for more than 10 seconds). It was confirmed that positive affect and negative affect are separate constructs stemming from their own neural pathways (Mathiak et al., 2013). The processing of positive affect was shown to be negatively related to the amygdala and insula. Whereas the processing of negative affect was shown to be related to an increase in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), which controls emotional experience. An increase in negative affect may influence boredom (Mathiak et al.,
2013). It has been demonstrated by previous research that there was a difference in neural activity between pleasant and unpleasant activity (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). This study used an EEG to examine theta, alpha and beta waves in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (F3). In this study, boredom was operationalized and defined as an unpleasant state in which one desires to engage in a satisfying behaviour (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). Boring music was defined as music that usually consists of a repetitive melodic phrase (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). The nine participants (five male, four female) with an age range of 22-30 years (M = 26.7 +/- 2.5 years), volunteered for the study. There were 10 musical pieces; each was 83 seconds. Two pieces were previously rated as boring and eight pieces were previously rated as non-boring. Each musical piece was played in full, followed by a 30 second inter-stimulus interval break (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). The participants had 32 electrodes placed on their scalp according to the international 10/20 system. The results showed that beta two power alterations were different between boring and non-boring musical pieces, and that beta two rhythms decreased whenever the participants rated a piece as boring and increased when they rated it as non-boring (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). As demonstrated in past literature we understand that boredom has an effect on the brain. This study was conducted to further understand the effects of boredom on the brain focusing on the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (F3). The study used an EEG to measure boredom from the brain, focusing on alpha, beta, delta and theta waves in F3. Boredom often occurs when activities are repeated, we are mentally fatigue, attention decreases, when a task is too easy and is considered a behavioural turning point (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). If we are able to better understand the effect that boredom has on the brain, we will then be able to modify our daily lives to decrease the amount of boredom we experience.
It was hypothesized that all wave forms (alpha, beta, delta & theta) would remain constant before the 200 second mark and after the 200 second mark, alpha, beta and delta waves would decrease while theta waves would remain constant. It was also hypothesized that Condition 1 (black stimuli) would be rated as more boring than Condition 2 (colour stimuli).
Methods
Participants
Seventy-four students (64 female, nine male, and one other) participated in this study. The age of the participants ranged from 18-28 years old (M = 20, SD = 3.5). The participants were all a part of a biopsychology course at Mount Allison University – a small undergraduate university. The study was part of the laboratory component of a biopsychology course; participation was voluntary and no incentives were provided.
Materials
Materials for this study included an BioPac MP36 System for EEG recording, a computer and the program. The BioPac MP36 System consisted of three electrodes that were placed according to the 10/20 system. A positive electrode was placed superior to F3, a negative electrode was placed inferior to F3 and a ground electrode was placed around the mastoid region behind the ear (Figure 1). This study was conducted on an iMac running OSX 10.9.5 computer with a 21.5” screen and resolution of 1920 X 1080. The program that was used was equipped with a fixation cross that was presented in the middle of the screen; participants responded with “m”, “n”, “j” and “spacebar” keys on their keyboard. The first task consisted of a black stimuli (cross) appeared three centimeters from the right or left of the fixation point. The stimulus onset was 300ms with no random presentation. The second task consisted of stimuli colors of red, blue, green and yellow; their onset was 300ms, 400ms, 450ms and 500ms respectfully. The location of stimuli was three centimeters above, below, left or right of the fixation cross. All variables were randomly presented.
Figure 1. Electrode placement diagram using the 10/20 system.
Procedure
EEG setup. The participants were asked to sit in a chair facing their respective computers. The experimenter placed the three electrodes on the participants scalp; the positive electrode was ventral of F3, the negative electrode was dorsal of F3 and the ground electrode was placed on the mastoid region according to the 10/20 system (Figure 1). Following electrode placement, the experimenter wrapped the participant’s head with an elastic bandage to improve electrode contact. The experimenter continued with the setup and checked the electrode impendence. Following electrode impendence, the experimenter calibrated the EEG system while the participant was asked to sit calmly with their eyes shut. Once the calibration was finished, the experimenter started recording and opened the experiment. Experimental conditions. The participant was assigned to either condition one or block two of the experiment. By the end of the experiment, the participants completed both sessions. The participant was instructed to look at the fixation cross throughout the experiment while stimuli were presented on the screen. The participant was instructed to press the “j” key when a stimulus appeared above the fixation cross, the “spacebar” when it appeared below, the “n” key when it appeared to the left, and the “m” key when it appeared to the right. After the participants completed 180 trials, the experiment was finished and the recording was stopped. The participants were thanked for their participation and instructed to return at a predetermined time to complete part two of the study, where followed the same instructions as they completed the opposite condition.
The effects that boredom has on the brain were first studied by Katamyama and Natsume (2012). The purpose of their study was to look at the relationship between physiological aspects of boredom and efficient learning; in hopes that they could change the educational system to determine optimal timing for rest or when learning material must …show more content…
be changed (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). The participants consisted of four males (M = 24, SD = 2). Electroencephalogram’s (EEG) were used to study the participants brain waves; eight electrodes were placed on the participants scalp (F2, F3, C2, F4, P2, O2, T4) according to the international 10/20 system (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). The participants recorded a calm state with their eyes open for 30 seconds. A rhythm instruction material (RIM) was then asked to be completed 15 consecutive times. The participants were asked to raise their hand when they felt bored (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). The entire experiment took 18 to 19 minutes. The results showed that in several electrodes alpha, beta and delta waves remained constant at the beginning, however, began to decrease after 200 seconds (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). Theta waves remained constant (Katayama & Natsume, 2012).
Another article focused on boredom relating to goal directed behaviour and positive and negative affect (Mathiak, Klasen, Zvyagintsev, Weber & Mathiak, 2013).
Based on previous research, it was suggested that boredom occurs when there is no self-sustained attention. The purpose of Mathiak et al. (2013) study was to mediate whether goal-directed behaviour is due to boredom and affect. The study included 13 male participants who were regular video game players. The study incorporated a video game “Tactical Ops: Assault on Terror” to demonstrate if boredom leads to goal-directed behaviour, a positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS) and a three-ton magnetic resonance (MR) scanner that used a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) software (Mathiak et al., 2013). There was a 30-minute familiarization period where participants became familiar with controllers and joysticks. The participants then completed five fMRI sessions while free playing in 12-minute sessions. The participants completed a PANAS before and after entering the scanner (Mathiak et al., 2013). The results showed that goal-directed behaviour occurred in most tasks (non-goal directed behaviour was begin in a safe zone or no task for more than 10 seconds). It was confirmed that positive affect and negative affect are separate constructs stemming from their own neural pathways (Mathiak et al., 2013). The processing of positive affect was shown to be negatively related to the amygdala and insula. Whereas the processing of negative affect was shown to be related to an increase in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), which controls emotional experience. An increase in negative affect may influence boredom (Mathiak et al.,
2013). It has been demonstrated by previous research that there was a difference in neural activity between pleasant and unpleasant activity (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). This study used an EEG to examine theta, alpha and beta waves in the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (F3). In this study, boredom was operationalized and defined as an unpleasant state in which one desires to engage in a satisfying behaviour (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). Boring music was defined as music that usually consists of a repetitive melodic phrase (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). The nine participants (five male, four female) with an age range of 22-30 years (M = 26.7 +/- 2.5 years), volunteered for the study. There were 10 musical pieces; each was 83 seconds. Two pieces were previously rated as boring and eight pieces were previously rated as non-boring. Each musical piece was played in full, followed by a 30 second inter-stimulus interval break (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). The participants had 32 electrodes placed on their scalp according to the international 10/20 system. The results showed that beta two power alterations were different between boring and non-boring musical pieces, and that beta two rhythms decreased whenever the participants rated a piece as boring and increased when they rated it as non-boring (Tabatabaie et al., 2014). As demonstrated in past literature we understand that boredom has an effect on the brain. This study was conducted to further understand the effects of boredom on the brain focusing on the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (F3). The study used an EEG to measure boredom from the brain, focusing on alpha, beta, delta and theta waves in F3. Boredom often occurs when activities are repeated, we are mentally fatigue, attention decreases, when a task is too easy and is considered a behavioural turning point (Katayama & Natsume, 2012). If we are able to better understand the effect that boredom has on the brain, we will then be able to modify our daily lives to decrease the amount of boredom we experience.
It was hypothesized that all wave forms (alpha, beta, delta & theta) would remain constant before the 200 second mark and after the 200 second mark, alpha, beta and delta waves would decrease while theta waves would remain constant. It was also hypothesized that Condition 1 (black stimuli) would be rated as more boring than Condition 2 (colour stimuli).
Methods
Participants
Seventy-four students (64 female, nine male, and one other) participated in this study. The age of the participants ranged from 18-28 years old (M = 20, SD = 3.5). The participants were all a part of a biopsychology course at Mount Allison University – a small undergraduate university. The study was part of the laboratory component of a biopsychology course; participation was voluntary and no incentives were provided.
Materials
Materials for this study included an BioPac MP36 System for EEG recording, a computer and the program. The BioPac MP36 System consisted of three electrodes that were placed according to the 10/20 system. A positive electrode was placed superior to F3, a negative electrode was placed inferior to F3 and a ground electrode was placed around the mastoid region behind the ear (Figure 1). This study was conducted on an iMac running OSX 10.9.5 computer with a 21.5” screen and resolution of 1920 X 1080. The program that was used was equipped with a fixation cross that was presented in the middle of the screen; participants responded with “m”, “n”, “j” and “spacebar” keys on their keyboard. The first task consisted of a black stimuli (cross) appeared three centimeters from the right or left of the fixation point. The stimulus onset was 300ms with no random presentation. The second task consisted of stimuli colors of red, blue, green and yellow; their onset was 300ms, 400ms, 450ms and 500ms respectfully. The location of stimuli was three centimeters above, below, left or right of the fixation cross. All variables were randomly presented.
Figure 1. Electrode placement diagram using the 10/20 system.
Procedure
EEG setup. The participants were asked to sit in a chair facing their respective computers. The experimenter placed the three electrodes on the participants scalp; the positive electrode was ventral of F3, the negative electrode was dorsal of F3 and the ground electrode was placed on the mastoid region according to the 10/20 system (Figure 1). Following electrode placement, the experimenter wrapped the participant’s head with an elastic bandage to improve electrode contact. The experimenter continued with the setup and checked the electrode impendence. Following electrode impendence, the experimenter calibrated the EEG system while the participant was asked to sit calmly with their eyes shut. Once the calibration was finished, the experimenter started recording and opened the experiment. Experimental conditions. The participant was assigned to either condition one or block two of the experiment. By the end of the experiment, the participants completed both sessions. The participant was instructed to look at the fixation cross throughout the experiment while stimuli were presented on the screen. The participant was instructed to press the “j” key when a stimulus appeared above the fixation cross, the “spacebar” when it appeared below, the “n” key when it appeared to the left, and the “m” key when it appeared to the right. After the participants completed 180 trials, the experiment was finished and the recording was stopped. The participants were thanked for their participation and instructed to return at a predetermined time to complete part two of the study, where followed the same instructions as they completed the opposite condition.