Exploring the relationship between boredom proneness and agency

Abstract

Boredom is a negatively valanced emotion characterized by a failed desire to engage with some meaningful activity. A diminished sense of control over events in a person's environment may underly the experience of boredom, precipitating the inability to engage meaningfully. In two separate samples we explored the relation between the sense of agency and trait boredom proneness. Data from both samples showed that those high in boredom proneness reported experiencing a lower sense of agency. Regressions indicated that perceived agency accounted for variance in boredom proneness even after taking account of other known associates of the trait (i.e., self-control, regulatory mode). These findings highlight the important role of the sense of agency in trait boredom proneness.