Research from the University of Portsmouth has explored the link between high impulsivity and boredom to better understand what drives rash and sometimes unhealthy decisions. Impulsivity, the tendency to act quickly without considering the consequences, is associated with psychiatric disorders such as ADHD and substance use disorders. While the connection between boredom and impulsivity is well established, two new studies have revealed the role that stress plays in this relationship.
Published in Physiology and behaviorThe research found that participants high in impulsivity reported higher levels of boredom after completing a boring task. While this was expected, a new discovery was that these individuals also experienced a stronger physiological response by releasing more of the stress hormone cortisol. Dr. James Clay, lead author of the study, explained:
«Our findings shed light on the biological underpinnings of why some individuals, particularly those with high impulsivity, find boredom more stressful than others. By identifying how their stress response is triggered and that cortisol is a key mediator, we can begin to better understand why this happens and explore specific interventions that help control these reactions.»
Boredom is generally a form of psychological stress that often leads people to seek stimulation. However, for more impulsive people, their greater stress response to boredom may explain why it affects them more. Dr. Matt Parker, lead author and neuroscientist, added:
«We know that highly impulsive people are more likely to develop addictions throughout their lives. There has always been a connection between impulsivity and boredom, but the mechanisms behind this relationship are not fully understood.»
He suggested that stress could be the key: «If we can find ways to mitigate these stress symptoms, we could prevent them from seeking harmful stress relief, such as drugs or gambling.»
The first study involved 80 participants who completed a boring task and found that impulsive people were more prone to boredom. In a second study, the physiological responses of 20 participants were monitored through saliva samples, showing an increase in cortisol levels during the task. This confirmed the involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in managing the body’s response to stress.
Co-author Juan Badariotti said: «Knowing that the stress response links boredom with impulsivity brings us one step closer to developing potential solutions to break the cycle.» The researchers hope that future studies will build on this work to develop interventions to manage the stress-boredom-impulsivity cycle, potentially offering better strategies for coping with psychiatric disorders.
