Boredom, sustained attention and the default mode network
Experimental Brain Research March 15, 2016 James Danckert, Colleen Merrifield 203 citations
Boredom arises when people cannot engage with their surroundings even though they want to. It feels negative and is linked to depression and aggression. Using brain scans, researchers found that during boring tasks and boredom-inducing videos, a brain region called the anterior insula cortex showed activity that moved in the opposite direction from the default mode network (DMN), a set of regions active when the mind wanders. In contrast, when participants felt interested, the anterior insula worked in sync with both the DMN and attentional control regions. This suggests boredom reflects a failure to engage brain networks needed for focusing attention during monotonous activities.