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Too bored to bother? Boredom as a potential threat to the efficacy of pandemic containment measures

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Listed:
  • Corinna S. Martarelli

    (Swiss Distance University Institute)

  • Wanja Wolff

    (University of Konstanz
    University of Bern)

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by coronavirus (SARS-nCoV2) is currently spreading across the world. In response, different sets of pandemic containment measures have been employed by several countries. The effectiveness of non-pharmacological measures such as home confinement hinges on adherence by the population. While adherence to these social distancing measures appears to be high in general, adherence might be more challenging for some individuals and complying with these measures might become more difficult the longer they last. Here, we suggest that boredom and self-control are two important psychological concepts for understanding the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic containment measures pose to individuals. To maximize adherence to these measures, we propose to consider the specific and combined effects of boredom and self-control demands elicited by this situation on subsequent behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Corinna S. Martarelli & Wanja Wolff, 2020. "Too bored to bother? Boredom as a potential threat to the efficacy of pandemic containment measures," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:7:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-020-0512-6
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-020-0512-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wanja Wolff & Lorena Baumann & Chris Englert, 2018. "Self-reports from behind the scenes: Questionable research practices and rates of replication in ego depletion research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(6), pages 1-11, June.
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Covid-19 > Health > Distancing and Lockdown > Compliance

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wanja Wolff & Corinna S. Martarelli & Julia Schüler & Maik Bieleke, 2020. "High Boredom Proneness and Low Trait Self-Control Impair Adherence to Social Distancing Guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-10, July.
    2. Wanja Wolff & Maik Bieleke & Lucas Keller, 2022. "Boredom Proneness Predicts Self-Assessed Decision Errors in Sports but Is Unrelated to Risk Taking in General," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-11, March.
    3. Corinna S. Martarelli & Wanja Wolff & Maik Bieleke, 2021. "Bored by bothering? A cost-value approach to pandemic boredom," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Li, Ying & Luan, Shenghua & Li, Yugang & Hertwig, Ralph, 2021. "Changing emotions in the COVID-19 pandemic: A four-wave longitudinal study in the United States and China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    5. Víctor Revilla-Cuesta & Marta Skaf & Juan Manuel Varona & Vanesa Ortega-López, 2021. "The Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Social Impact on Education: Were Engineering Teachers Ready to Teach Online?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    6. Cyril Atkinson-Clement & Eléonore Pigalle, 2021. "What can we learn from Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on human behaviour? The case of France’s lockdown," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Catherine Audrin & Marine Hascoët, 2021. "Bored to Be Wild: How Boredom Is Related to Pre-Service Teachers’ Intention to Persist in Their Studies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-11, April.

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