We’re all guilty of mindlessly scrolling when we’re bored. However, according to a new social media study, it isn’t quite as satisfying as some of us may think.
The study, which was conducted at the University of Toronto Scarborough, found that videos are less likely to scratch that boredom itch if viewers scroll to find a different clip. Or, if they skip or fast-forward through parts of the video.
In fact, the social media study claims that “digital switching” either way actually increased boredom rather than reduced it.
“Our research shows that while people fast-forward or skip videos to avoid boredom, this behavior can actually make them feel more bored,” lead researcher Katy Tam told The Guardian.
“Just as we pay for an immersive experience in a movie theatre, enjoyment often comes from immersing ourselves in videos rather than swiping through them.”
What else did the new social media study say?
In total, the study included seven different experiments, with results varying depending on the age and demographics of the respondents.
One experiment involving 140 undergraduate students found that subjects switched videos more quickly when they found them boring. Another found that more subjects felt bored when they could skip video playback versus when they couldn’t. This study involved 166 undergraduates.
These results weren’t replicated in subsequent experiments that featured a broader age demographic.
For example, one experiment featured 175 participants with a wider age range. When participants were given the option of watching multiple shorter videos or one longer one, researchers found zero difference in reported boredom.
“We speculated that people of different ages may have different habits when it comes to watching videos and switching,” Tam added. “How people consume videos and how this affects boredom may vary based on age and digital media habits. But further research is needed to explore this.”
