Pandemic Boredom: Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries

Erin C. Westgate; Nicholas R. Buttrick; Yijun Lin; Gaelle El Helou; Maximilian Agostini; Jocelyn J. Belanger; Ben Guetzkow; Jannis Kreienkamp; Georgios Abakoumkin; Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom; Vjollca Ahmedi; Handan Akkas; Carlos A. Almenara; Mohsin Atta; Sabahat Cigdem Bagci; Sima Basel; Edona Berisha Kida; Allan B. I. Bernardo; Phatthanakit Chobthamkit; Hoon-Seok Choi; Mioara Cristea; Sara Csaba; Kaja Damnjanovic; Ivan Danyliuk; Arobindu Dash; Daniela Di Santo; Karen M. Douglas; Violeta Enea; Daiane Gracieli Faller; Gavan Fitzsimons; Alexandra Gheorghiu; Angel Gomez; Ali Hamaidia; Qing Han; Mai Helmy; Joevarian Hudiyana; Bertus F. Jeronimus; Ding-Yu Jiang; Veljko Jovanovic; Zeljka Kamenov; Anna Kende; Shian-Ling Keng; Tra Thi Thanh Kieu; Yasin Koc; Kamila Kovyazina; Inna Kozytska; Joshua Krause; Arie W. Kruglanski; Anton Kurapov; Maja Kutlaca; Nora Anna Lantos; Edward P. Lemay; Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lesmana; Winnifred R. Louis; Adrian Lueders; Marta Maj; Najma Iqbal Malik; Anton Martinez; Kira O. McCabe; Jasmina Mehulic; Mirra Noor Milla; Idris Mohammed; Erica Molinario; Manuel Moyano; Hayat Muhammad; Silvana Mula; Hamdi Muluk; Solomiia Myroniuk; Reza Najafi; Claudia F. Nisa; Boglarka Nyul; Paul A. O'Keefe; Jose Javier Olivas Osuna; Evgeny N. Osin; Joonha Park; Gennaro Pica; Antonio Pierro; Jonas Rees; Anne Margit Reitsema; Elena Resta; Marika Rullo; Michelle K. Ryan; Adil Samekin; Pekka Santtila; Edyta Sasin; Birga M. Schumpe; Heyla A. Selim; Michael Vicente Stanton; Wolfgang Stroebe; Robbie M. Sutton; Eleftheria Tseliou; Akira Utsugi; Jolien Anne van Breen; Caspar J. Van Lissa; Kees Van Veen; Michelle R. vanDellen; Alexandra Vazquez; Robin Wollast; Victoria Wai-lan Yeung; Somayeh Zand; Iris Lav Zezelj; Bang Zheng; Andreas Zick; Claudia Zuniga; N. Pontus Leander

doi:10.1037/emo0001118

Pandemic Boredom: Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries

Erin C. Westgate, Nicholas R. Buttrick, Yijun Lin, Gaelle El Helou, Maximilian Agostini, Jocelyn J. Belanger, Ben Guetzkow, Jannis Kreienkamp, Georgios Abakoumkin, Jamilah Hanum Abdul Khaiyom, Vjollca Ahmedi, Handan Akkas, Carlos A. Almenara, Mohsin Atta, Sabahat Cigdem Bagci, Sima Basel, Edona Berisha Kida, Allan B. I. Bernardo, Phatthanakit Chobthamkit, Hoon-Seok ChoiMioara Cristea, Sara Csaba, Kaja Damnjanovic, Ivan Danyliuk, Arobindu Dash, Daniela Di Santo, Karen M. Douglas, Violeta Enea, Daiane Gracieli Faller, Gavan Fitzsimons, Alexandra Gheorghiu, Angel Gomez, Ali Hamaidia, Qing Han, Mai Helmy, Joevarian Hudiyana, Bertus F. Jeronimus, Ding-Yu Jiang, Veljko Jovanovic, Zeljka Kamenov, Anna Kende, Shian-Ling Keng, Tra Thi Thanh Kieu, Yasin Koc, Kamila Kovyazina, Inna Kozytska, Joshua Krause, Arie W. Kruglanski, Anton Kurapov, Maja Kutlaca, Nora Anna Lantos, Edward P. Lemay, Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lesmana, Winnifred R. Louis, Adrian Lueders, Marta Maj, Najma Iqbal Malik, Anton Martinez, Kira O. McCabe, Jasmina Mehulic, Mirra Noor Milla, Idris Mohammed, Erica Molinario, Manuel Moyano, Hayat Muhammad, Silvana Mula, Hamdi Muluk, Solomiia Myroniuk, Reza Najafi, Claudia F. Nisa, Boglarka Nyul, Paul A. O'Keefe, Jose Javier Olivas Osuna, Evgeny N. Osin, Joonha Park, Gennaro Pica, Antonio Pierro, Jonas Rees, Anne Margit Reitsema, Elena Resta, Marika Rullo, Michelle K. Ryan, Adil Samekin, Pekka Santtila, Edyta Sasin, Birga M. Schumpe, Heyla A. Selim, Michael Vicente Stanton, Wolfgang Stroebe, Robbie M. Sutton, Eleftheria Tseliou, Akira Utsugi, Jolien Anne van Breen, Caspar J. Van Lissa, Kees Van Veen, Michelle R. vanDellen, Alexandra Vazquez, Robin Wollast, Victoria Wai-lan Yeung, Somayeh Zand, Iris Lav Zezelj, Bang Zheng, Andreas Zick, Claudia Zuniga, N. Pontus Leander

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Some public officials have expressed concern that policies mandating collective public health behaviors (e.g., national/regional "lockdown ") may result in behavioral fatigue that ultimately renders such policies ineffective. Boredom, specifically, has been singled out as one potential risk factor for noncompliance. We examined whether there was empirical evidence to support this concern during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large cross-national sample of 63,336 community respondents from 116 countries. Although boredom was higher in countries with more COVID-19 cases and in countries that instituted more stringent lockdowns, such boredom did not predict longitudinal within-person decreases in social distancing behavior (or vice versa; n = 8,031) in early spring and summer of 2020. Overall, we found little evidence that changes in boredom predict individual public health behaviors (handwashing, staying home, self-quarantining, and avoiding crowds) over time, or that such behaviors had any reliable longitudinal effects on boredom itself. In summary, contrary to concerns, we found little evidence that boredom posed a public health risk during lockdown and quarantine.

Original language	English
Number of pages	16
Journal	Emotion
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001118
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 2023

Keywords

Covid-19
Simpson's paradox
Emotion
Public health
Self-regulation

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10.1037/emo0001118

Cite this

Westgate, E. C., Buttrick, N. R., Lin, Y., El Helou, G., Agostini, M., Belanger, J. J., Guetzkow, B., Kreienkamp, J., Abakoumkin, G., Abdul Khaiyom, J. H., Ahmedi, V., Akkas, H., Almenara, C. A., Atta, M., Bagci, S. C., Basel, S., Berisha Kida, E., Bernardo, A. B. I., Chobthamkit, P., ... Leander, N. P. (2023). Pandemic Boredom: Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001118

@article{f32f8d2ca901429382f899e7796a128d,

title = "Pandemic Boredom: Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries",

abstract = "Some public officials have expressed concern that policies mandating collective public health behaviors (e.g., national/regional {"}lockdown {"}) may result in behavioral fatigue that ultimately renders such policies ineffective. Boredom, specifically, has been singled out as one potential risk factor for noncompliance. We examined whether there was empirical evidence to support this concern during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large cross-national sample of 63,336 community respondents from 116 countries. Although boredom was higher in countries with more COVID-19 cases and in countries that instituted more stringent lockdowns, such boredom did not predict longitudinal within-person decreases in social distancing behavior (or vice versa; n = 8,031) in early spring and summer of 2020. Overall, we found little evidence that changes in boredom predict individual public health behaviors (handwashing, staying home, self-quarantining, and avoiding crowds) over time, or that such behaviors had any reliable longitudinal effects on boredom itself. In summary, contrary to concerns, we found little evidence that boredom posed a public health risk during lockdown and quarantine.",

keywords = "Covid-19, Simpson's paradox, Emotion, Public health, Self-regulation",

author = "Westgate, {Erin C.} and Buttrick, {Nicholas R.} and Yijun Lin and {El Helou}, Gaelle and Maximilian Agostini and Belanger, {Jocelyn J.} and Ben Guetzkow and Jannis Kreienkamp and Georgios Abakoumkin and {Abdul Khaiyom}, {Jamilah Hanum} and Vjollca Ahmedi and Handan Akkas and Almenara, {Carlos A.} and Mohsin Atta and Bagci, {Sabahat Cigdem} and Sima Basel and {Berisha Kida}, Edona and Bernardo, {Allan B. I.} and Phatthanakit Chobthamkit and Hoon-Seok Choi and Mioara Cristea and Sara Csaba and Kaja Damnjanovic and Ivan Danyliuk and Arobindu Dash and {Di Santo}, Daniela and Douglas, {Karen M.} and Violeta Enea and Faller, {Daiane Gracieli} and Gavan Fitzsimons and Alexandra Gheorghiu and Angel Gomez and Ali Hamaidia and Qing Han and Mai Helmy and Joevarian Hudiyana and Jeronimus, {Bertus F.} and Ding-Yu Jiang and Veljko Jovanovic and Zeljka Kamenov and Anna Kende and Shian-Ling Keng and Kieu, {Tra Thi Thanh} and Yasin Koc and Kamila Kovyazina and Inna Kozytska and Joshua Krause and Kruglanski, {Arie W.} and Anton Kurapov and Maja Kutlaca and Lantos, {Nora Anna} and Lemay, {Edward P.} and Lesmana, {Cokorda Bagus Jaya} and Louis, {Winnifred R.} and Adrian Lueders and Marta Maj and Malik, {Najma Iqbal} and Anton Martinez and McCabe, {Kira O.} and Jasmina Mehulic and Milla, {Mirra Noor} and Idris Mohammed and Erica Molinario and Manuel Moyano and Hayat Muhammad and Silvana Mula and Hamdi Muluk and Solomiia Myroniuk and Reza Najafi and Nisa, {Claudia F.} and Boglarka Nyul and O'Keefe, {Paul A.} and {Olivas Osuna}, {Jose Javier} and Osin, {Evgeny N.} and Joonha Park and Gennaro Pica and Antonio Pierro and Jonas Rees and Reitsema, {Anne Margit} and Elena Resta and Marika Rullo and Ryan, {Michelle K.} and Adil Samekin and Pekka Santtila and Edyta Sasin and Schumpe, {Birga M.} and Selim, {Heyla A.} and Stanton, {Michael Vicente} and Wolfgang Stroebe and Sutton, {Robbie M.} and Eleftheria Tseliou and Akira Utsugi and {van Breen}, {Jolien Anne} and {Van Lissa}, {Caspar J.} and {Van Veen}, Kees and vanDellen, {Michelle R.} and Alexandra Vazquez and Robin Wollast and Yeung, {Victoria Wai-lan} and Somayeh Zand and Zezelj, {Iris Lav} and Bang Zheng and Andreas Zick and Claudia Zuniga and Leander, {N. Pontus}",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.1037/emo0001118",

language = "English",

journal = "Emotion",

issn = "1528-3542",

publisher = "American Psychological Association",

}

Westgate, EC, Buttrick, NR, Lin, Y, El Helou, G, Agostini, M, Belanger, JJ, Guetzkow, B, Kreienkamp, J, Abakoumkin, G, Abdul Khaiyom, JH, Ahmedi, V, Akkas, H, Almenara, CA, Atta, M, Bagci, SC, Basel, S, Berisha Kida, E, Bernardo, ABI, Chobthamkit, P, Choi, H-S, Cristea, M, Csaba, S, Damnjanovic, K, Danyliuk, I, Dash, A, Di Santo, D, Douglas, KM, Enea, V, Faller, DG, Fitzsimons, G, Gheorghiu, A, Gomez, A, Hamaidia, A, Han, Q, Helmy, M, Hudiyana, J, Jeronimus, BF, Jiang, D-Y, Jovanovic, V, Kamenov, Z, Kende, A, Keng, S-L, Kieu, TTT, Koc, Y, Kovyazina, K, Kozytska, I, Krause, J, Kruglanski, AW, Kurapov, A, Kutlaca, M, Lantos, NA, Lemay, EP, Lesmana, CBJ, Louis, WR, Lueders, A, Maj, M, Malik, NI, Martinez, A, McCabe, KO, Mehulic, J, Milla, MN, Mohammed, I, Molinario, E, Moyano, M, Muhammad, H, Mula, S, Muluk, H, Myroniuk, S, Najafi, R, Nisa, CF, Nyul, B, O'Keefe, PA, Olivas Osuna, JJ, Osin, EN, Park, J, Pica, G, Pierro, A, Rees, J, Reitsema, AM, Resta, E, Rullo, M, Ryan, MK, Samekin, A, Santtila, P, Sasin, E, Schumpe, BM, Selim, HA, Stanton, MV, Stroebe, W, Sutton, RM, Tseliou, E, Utsugi, A, van Breen, JA, Van Lissa, CJ, Van Veen, K, vanDellen, MR, Vazquez, A, Wollast, R, Yeung, VW, Zand, S, Zezelj, IL, Zheng, B, Zick, A, Zuniga, C & Leander, NP 2023, 'Pandemic Boredom: Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries', Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001118

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pandemic Boredom

T2 - Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries

AU - Westgate, Erin C.

AU - Buttrick, Nicholas R.

AU - Lin, Yijun

AU - El Helou, Gaelle

AU - Agostini, Maximilian

AU - Belanger, Jocelyn J.

AU - Guetzkow, Ben

AU - Kreienkamp, Jannis

AU - Abakoumkin, Georgios

AU - Abdul Khaiyom, Jamilah Hanum

AU - Ahmedi, Vjollca

AU - Akkas, Handan

AU - Almenara, Carlos A.

AU - Atta, Mohsin

AU - Bagci, Sabahat Cigdem

AU - Basel, Sima

AU - Berisha Kida, Edona

AU - Bernardo, Allan B. I.

AU - Chobthamkit, Phatthanakit

AU - Choi, Hoon-Seok

AU - Cristea, Mioara

AU - Csaba, Sara

AU - Damnjanovic, Kaja

AU - Danyliuk, Ivan

AU - Dash, Arobindu

AU - Di Santo, Daniela

AU - Douglas, Karen M.

AU - Enea, Violeta

AU - Faller, Daiane Gracieli

AU - Fitzsimons, Gavan

AU - Gheorghiu, Alexandra

AU - Gomez, Angel

AU - Hamaidia, Ali

AU - Han, Qing

AU - Helmy, Mai

AU - Hudiyana, Joevarian

AU - Jeronimus, Bertus F.

AU - Jiang, Ding-Yu

AU - Jovanovic, Veljko

AU - Kamenov, Zeljka

AU - Kende, Anna

AU - Keng, Shian-Ling

AU - Kieu, Tra Thi Thanh

AU - Koc, Yasin

AU - Kovyazina, Kamila

AU - Kozytska, Inna

AU - Krause, Joshua

AU - Kruglanski, Arie W.

AU - Kurapov, Anton

AU - Kutlaca, Maja

AU - Lantos, Nora Anna

AU - Lemay, Edward P.

AU - Lesmana, Cokorda Bagus Jaya

AU - Louis, Winnifred R.

AU - Lueders, Adrian

AU - Maj, Marta

AU - Malik, Najma Iqbal

AU - Martinez, Anton

AU - McCabe, Kira O.

AU - Mehulic, Jasmina

AU - Milla, Mirra Noor

AU - Mohammed, Idris

AU - Molinario, Erica

AU - Moyano, Manuel

AU - Muhammad, Hayat

AU - Mula, Silvana

AU - Muluk, Hamdi

AU - Myroniuk, Solomiia

AU - Najafi, Reza

AU - Nisa, Claudia F.

AU - Nyul, Boglarka

AU - O'Keefe, Paul A.

AU - Olivas Osuna, Jose Javier

AU - Osin, Evgeny N.

AU - Park, Joonha

AU - Pica, Gennaro

AU - Pierro, Antonio

AU - Rees, Jonas

AU - Reitsema, Anne Margit

AU - Resta, Elena

AU - Rullo, Marika

AU - Ryan, Michelle K.

AU - Samekin, Adil

AU - Santtila, Pekka

AU - Sasin, Edyta

AU - Schumpe, Birga M.

AU - Selim, Heyla A.

AU - Stanton, Michael Vicente

AU - Stroebe, Wolfgang

AU - Sutton, Robbie M.

AU - Tseliou, Eleftheria

AU - Utsugi, Akira

AU - van Breen, Jolien Anne

AU - Van Lissa, Caspar J.

AU - Van Veen, Kees

AU - vanDellen, Michelle R.

AU - Vazquez, Alexandra

AU - Wollast, Robin

AU - Yeung, Victoria Wai-lan

AU - Zand, Somayeh

AU - Zezelj, Iris Lav

AU - Zheng, Bang

AU - Zick, Andreas

AU - Zuniga, Claudia

AU - Leander, N. Pontus

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Some public officials have expressed concern that policies mandating collective public health behaviors (e.g., national/regional "lockdown ") may result in behavioral fatigue that ultimately renders such policies ineffective. Boredom, specifically, has been singled out as one potential risk factor for noncompliance. We examined whether there was empirical evidence to support this concern during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large cross-national sample of 63,336 community respondents from 116 countries. Although boredom was higher in countries with more COVID-19 cases and in countries that instituted more stringent lockdowns, such boredom did not predict longitudinal within-person decreases in social distancing behavior (or vice versa; n = 8,031) in early spring and summer of 2020. Overall, we found little evidence that changes in boredom predict individual public health behaviors (handwashing, staying home, self-quarantining, and avoiding crowds) over time, or that such behaviors had any reliable longitudinal effects on boredom itself. In summary, contrary to concerns, we found little evidence that boredom posed a public health risk during lockdown and quarantine.

AB - Some public officials have expressed concern that policies mandating collective public health behaviors (e.g., national/regional "lockdown ") may result in behavioral fatigue that ultimately renders such policies ineffective. Boredom, specifically, has been singled out as one potential risk factor for noncompliance. We examined whether there was empirical evidence to support this concern during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large cross-national sample of 63,336 community respondents from 116 countries. Although boredom was higher in countries with more COVID-19 cases and in countries that instituted more stringent lockdowns, such boredom did not predict longitudinal within-person decreases in social distancing behavior (or vice versa; n = 8,031) in early spring and summer of 2020. Overall, we found little evidence that changes in boredom predict individual public health behaviors (handwashing, staying home, self-quarantining, and avoiding crowds) over time, or that such behaviors had any reliable longitudinal effects on boredom itself. In summary, contrary to concerns, we found little evidence that boredom posed a public health risk during lockdown and quarantine.

KW - Covid-19

KW - Simpson's paradox

KW - Emotion

KW - Public health

KW - Self-regulation

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=wosstart_imp_pure20230417&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:000953783900001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS

U2 - 10.1037/emo0001118

DO - 10.1037/emo0001118

M3 - Article

C2 - 36913277

SN - 1528-3542

JO - Emotion

JF - Emotion

ER -

Pandemic Boredom: Little Evidence That Lockdown-Related Boredom Affects Risky Public Health Behaviors Across 116 Countries

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