The Good (and Bad) of Boredom

Boredom is an unpleasant emotion that occurs alongside many adverse phenomena (e.g., depression, aggression, lack of self-control, attention failures). Accordingly, boredom is typically considered a nuisance. 

Notwithstanding this negative connotation, boredom serves important psychological functions; it helps people steer their pursuit of valued goals and helps regulate their cognitive resources. 

In this lecture, Wijnand van Tilburg will show that boredom is an important part of everyday functioning, and, in the right contexts, actually has several benefits. So, join us for this night and learn why it’s advantageous to put your phone down every now and then.

About the speaker
Wijnand van Tilburg is an Experimental Social Psychologist at the University of Essex. He has won the Ig Nobel Prize in the category of education for his research into boredom among students and teachers.

The Ig Nobel Prize is a satirical prize awarded annually to promote public engagement with scientific research. Its aim is to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think." The name of the award is a pun on the Nobel Prize and on the word "ignoble".