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PubMed2000

Effects of variety and repeated in-home consumption on product acceptance.

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of variety on long-term product acceptance and consumption in a home-use situation. Subjects (N= 105) consumed a meat sauce once a week at dinner at home for a period of 10 weeks. Three variety groups were designed. The monotony group (N= 45) consistently received the same flavour of meat sauce across all 10 weeks; the imposed variation group (N= 30) received one from three different flavours of the meat sauce in random order, and the free choice (N= 30) in variation group was allowed to choose among three flavours of the meat sauce. Results showed a substantial increase in boredom and decline in acceptance ratings after repeated consumption. As hypothesized, this effect was the largest for the monotony group and was least pronounced in the free-choice group, with the imposed variation group in between. Consumption data were in line with these acceptance ratings; the monotony group consumed less of the food than the free-choice group over that time. In conclusion, repeated consumption of a food product only once a week at home resulted in a remarkable increase of boredom over time. The boredom effect was the largest for subjects who consistently received the same food, and was least pronounced for subjects who were allowed to choose among three different flavours of the food.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Comparison between male and female subjective estimates of thermal effects and sensations.

Thirty-one male subjects aged between 18 and 40 years and 15 female subjects aged between 18 and 24 years were used to compare male and female subjective estimates of the effect of heat on thermal sensation, drowsiness, boredom and fatigue. The subjects were exposed to climatic conditions between 74 degrees and 110 degrees F (23.3 degrees and 43.3 degrees C) Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) while performing perceptual-motor tasks. Linear regression equations relating thermal sensation and ambient temperature were developed. These equations showed that the preferred temperature for males (71.6 degrees F (22 degrees C) WBGT) is significantly lower than that for females (77.1 degrees F (25 degrees C) WBGT). Females tend to feel more uncomfortable than males at both high and low temperature extremes. The subjective responses of thermal sensation take the same pattern as the subjective estimates of physiological responses to heat. Subjective estimates of thermal sensation in the heat relate directly to actual changes occurring in body temperature and heart rate. The subjective estimates by both males and females of drowsiness, boredom and fatigue form inverted U-curves when plotted against increasing temperature. The peaks of the inverted U or arousal curves for the two groups occur at 90 degrees F (32.2 degrees C) WBGT. The females reported higher levels of both drowsiness and boredom than the males at all temperatures, and the males reported higher fatigue than the females at the upper temperature levels.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Genetic analysis of sensation seeking with an extended twin design.

The heritability of sensation seeking is investigated in an extended twin design, including mono- and dizygotic twins and their siblings. Besides a comparison of the phenotypic resemblance between monozygotic twins and dizygotic twins, the design allows for an explicit test of the assumption that results from twins may be generalized to the singleton population. Secondly, the design offers the opportunity to investigate to what extent the influence of common environment is the same for males and females and for twins and siblings, i.e. allowing for explicit tests of a special twin environment and of a sex-specific common environment. The results indicate that individual variation in sensation seeking is heritable, with few differences between males and females in heritability estimates for the sensation seeking dimensions. In contrast to prior studies, evidence is found for common environmental influences for thrill and adventure seeking in males, and experience seeking and boredom susceptibility in females. Evidence for a special twin environment was limited to boredom susceptibility in females.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Absent-mindedness: Lapses of conscious awareness and everyday cognitive failures.

A brief self-report scale was developed to assess everyday performance failures arising directly or primarily from brief failures of sustained attention (attention-related cognitive errors-ARCES). The ARCES was found to be associated with a more direct measure of propensity to attention lapses (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale--MAAS) and to errors on an existing behavioral measure of sustained attention (Sustained Attention to Response Task--SART). Although the ARCES and MAAS were highly correlated, structural modelling revealed the ARCES was more directly related to SART errors and the MAAS to SART RTs, which have been hypothesized to directly reflect the lapses of attention that lead to SART errors. Thus, the MAAS and SART RTs appear to directly reflect attention lapses, whereas the ARCES and SART errors reflect the mistakes these lapses are thought to cause. Boredom proneness was also assessed by the BPS, as a separate consequence of a propensity to attention lapses. Although the ARCES was significantly associated with the BPS, this association was entirely accounted for by the MAAS, suggesting that performance errors and boredom are separate consequences of lapses in attention. A tendency to even extraordinarily brief attention lapses on the order of milliseconds may have far-reaching consequences not only for safe and efficient task performance but also for sustaining the motivation to persist in and enjoy these tasks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Couples' shared participation in novel and arousing activities and experienced relationship quality.

Using a newspaper questionnaire, a door-to-door survey, and 3 laboratory experiments, the authors examined a proposed effect of shared participation in novel and arousing activities on experienced relationship quality. The questionnaire and survey studies found predicted correlations of reported shared "exciting" activities and relationship satisfaction plus their predicted mediation by relationship boredom. In all 3 experiments, the authors found predicted greater increases in experienced relationship quality from before to after participating together in a 7-min novel and arousing (vs. a more mundane) task. Comparison with a no-activity control showed the effect was due to the novel-arousing task. The same effect was found on ratings of videotaped discussions before and after the experimental task. Finally, all results remained after controlling for relationship social desirability. Results bear on general issues of boredom and excitement in relationships and the role of such processes in understanding the typical early decline of relationship quality after the honeymoon period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Development of a psychometrically sound internet addiction scale: a preliminary step.

The Internet Addiction Scale (IAS) is a self-report instrument based on the 7 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) substance dependence criteria and 2 additional criteria recommended by Griffiths (1998). The IAS was administered to 233 undergraduates along with 4 measures pertaining to loneliness and boredom proneness. An item reliability analysis reduced the initial scale from 36 to 31 items (with a Cronbach's alpha of .95). A principal-components analysis indicated that the IAS consisted mainly of one factor. Multiple regression analyses revealed that Family and Social Loneliness and Boredom Proneness were significantly correlated with the IAS; Family and Social Loneliness uniquely predicted IAS scores. No evidence for widespread Internet addiction was found.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Achievement goals, beliefs about the causes of success and reported emotion in post-16 physical education.

The main aim of this study was to examine whether goal orientations of male and female adolescents involved in an optional post-16 physical education (PE) programme were related in a conceptually consistent manner with their beliefs about the causes of success in PE. We also determined relationships between these achievement goal-belief dimensions and reported enjoyment and boredom within PE classes. Participants (n = 171) in a sixth-form college PE programme completed an inventory assessing their task and ego goal orientations, beliefs about the determinants of success in PE, and emotion in PE activities at college. Separate factor analyses of goal orientations and beliefs for male and female students revealed two goal-belief dimensions. The first dimension showed ego orientation was linked to the view that ability and deceptive tactics lead to success. The second dimension suggested task orientation was associated with the belief that success is the result of hard work and effort. This task goal-belief factor was found to be more strongly correlated with enjoyment in PE among female students than among males. For boys, the task goal-belief factor was correlated significantly and negatively with boredom in PE, but this was not the case for girls. No significant relationships emerged between the ego goal-belief factor and reported emotion in PE among the male and female participants. Facilitating task involvement and beliefs about causes of success that are fundamentally under personal control may, therefore, promote positive affective experiences in sixth-form PE, especially among female students.

Achievement↗
PubMed2001

Career retention in the dental hygiene workforce in Texas.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the retention and attrition of dental hygienists within the workforce in Texas. Respondents' perception of the role of employee benefits and practice of dental hygiene on career retention were explored. Demographic descriptors, including educational level, marital status, age, employment setting, and practice statuses, were also examined. METHODS: A questionnaire modified from the American Dental Hygienists' Association Extension Study: Retention of Dental Hygienists in the Workforce Final Report, April 1992, was mailed to a systematic sample of licensed Texas dental hygienists in March 1999. Descriptive statistics were computed for dental hygienists currently in practice in Texas and those not in practice at the time of the survey. Differences in demographics, benefits, and attitudes between dental hygienists currently in practice in Texas and dental hygienists not in practice at the time of the survey were tested using independent t-tests for interval data and chi-squared tests for categorical data. All statistical analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS v. 9, Chicago, Illinois). RESULTS: A response rate of 68.1% was obtained. Results revealed the primary reasons for remaining in the practice of dental hygiene were salary, family responsibility, professional collaboration, and variety of work. The primary reasons for leaving dental hygiene practice were family responsibility, boredom, salary, and lack of benefits. Secondary and tertiary reasons stated for staying in clinical practice revealed additional factors including benefits, participation in decision-making, and a safe environment. Dental hygienists in clinical practice were more likely to be employed by a dentist in a single practice and see more patients per day, have a certificate or associate's degree, be unmarried, have fewer children, and be younger than dental hygienists not in practice. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that dental hygienists in Texas who remain in the workforce are positively influenced primarily by salary. Dental hygienists in Texas who had left the workforce were primarily influenced to leave practice because of family responsibility. Boredom and lack of benefits were also important factors in deciding to leave clinical practice. Employers of dental hygienists need to be aware of these factors in the hiring process. In addition, dental hygiene educators should prepare students in interviewing techniques for better communication regarding retention factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Performance.

High performance is difficult to maintain because it is dynamic and not well understood. Based on a synthesis of many sources, a model is proposed where performance is a function of the balance between capacity and challenge. Too much challenge produces coping (or a crash); excess capacity results in boredom. Over time, peak performance drifts toward boredom. Performance can be managed by adjusting our level of ability, our effort, the opportunity to perform, and the challenge we agree to take on. Coping, substandard but acceptable performance, is common among professionals and its long-term side effects can be debilitating. A crash occurs when coping mechanisms fail.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

A multivariate genetic analysis of sensation seeking.

The genetic architecture of sensation seeking was analyzed in 1591 adolescent twin pairs. Individual differences in sensation seeking were best explained by a simple additive genetic model. Between 48 and 63% of the total variance in sensation seeking subscales was attributable to genetic factors. There were no sex differences in the magnitude of the genetic and environmental effects. The different dimensions of sensation seeking were moderately correlated. The strongest correlations were between the subscales Thrill and Adventure Seeking and Experience Seeking (r = 0.4) and between Boredom Susceptibility and Disinhibition (r = 0.4 in males, r = 0.5 in females). A triangular decomposition showed that the correlations between the sensation seeking subscales were induced mainly by correlated genetic factors and, to a smaller extent, by correlated unique environmental factors. The genetic and environmental correlation structures differed between males and females. For females, higher genetic correlations for Experience Seeking with Boredom Susceptibility and Disinhibition and higher correlations among the unique environmental factors were found. There was no evidence that sex-specific genes influenced sensation seeking behavior in males and females.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Effects of caffeine on mood and memory.

The effects of caffeine on mood and memory tasks were investigated in a double-blind study of 95 healthy young adults who were randomly assigned to three doses: 0, 200, and 400 mg of oral administration of caffeine. Subjects completed a battery of tasks once predrug and several times postdrug. Caffeine, in general, showed nonsignificant effects on cognitive, learning, and memory performance. The exception is that 200 mg caffeine facilitated performance on the relatively more difficult cancellation (addition and multiplication) tasks than the digit cancellation task. In addition caffeine decreased boredom and relaxation, and increased other ratings of subjective moods--anxiousness, tenseness, and nervousness. The reduction in boredom or fatigue is associated with the repetitive nature of the task and the period of time during which the tasks were repeated. In general, high-to-moderate users of caffeine recalled more words than low users, particularly at the beginning of the lists. Results are discussed in terms of the effects of caffeine on task difficulty and sensitivity and the relative potency of caffeine doses on behavior. User effect is suggested as an important consideration of memory assessment.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

5-HT agonist-induced changes in peripheral immune cells in healthy volunteers: the impact of personality.

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the serotonergic neurotransmitter system and migration patterns of peripheral lymphocytes. Altogether 40 healthy male volunteers were given either a single dosage of the 5-HT1a-receptor agonist ipsapirone (10 mg) or a placebo (n = 20 each) in a double-blind randomized trial. Blood samples were drawn 55, 90 and 110 min after drug intake (baseline) and were analyzed for the number of peripheral lymphocytes. Furthermore, saliva samples were obtained at 13 defined time points which were analyzed for cortisol concentrations. Personality traits impulsivity, psychoticism and boredom susceptibility) were measured by questionnaires to investigate personality related differences in levels of serotonergic responsiveness. Analyses of covariance indicated that ipsapirone leads to highly significant reductions of peripheral CD4+ cells (T-helper/inducer-cells). This was significantly correlated to the ipsapirone-induced release of cortisol in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, subjects scoring high on impulsivity, psychoticism and boredom susceptibility could be identified as being more responsive to the 5-HT agonist, indicated by their larger reduction in T-helper cells and greater cortisol release. This was hypothesized to be either due to their subsensitivity of presynaptic or supersensitivity of postsynaptic 5-HT1a-receptors.

Adult↗
PubMed2007

Emotion regulation and trichotillomania: a comparison of clinical and nonclinical hair pulling.

This study investigated the emotion regulation hypothesis of trichotillomania (TTM) using a retrospective self-report measure and an experimental hair-pulling task. Participants diagnosed with TTM (n=34) and nonclinical control (NC) volunteers (n=32) were compared on ratings of emotional experiences associated with hair pulling. Data from the retrospective self-report measure supported the emotion regulation hypothesis of TTM. The TTM group reported larger decreases than the NC participants in boredom, sadness, anger, and tension, and larger increases in relief and calm from before to during pulling. The TTM group also reported significantly higher ratings of pleasure while pulling. When exploring changes in emotions from during to after pulling, the TTM group reported larger increases than the NC participants in guilt, sadness, and anger; and larger decreases in boredom; while the NC group reported larger increases than the TTM group in happiness, calm, and relief. On the experimental hair-pulling task, the TTM group reported larger decreases in anxiety from before to after pulling, but this effect was only found for a nontypical hair-pulling site. Methodological limitations may account for the lack of group differences on the experimental hair-pulling task.

Control Groups↗
PubMed1989

Why do pregnant women smoke?

This study aimed to record the main reasons given by pregnant women for smoking and to observe how these varied by age, education, marital status, social class and level of tobacco consumption. The study involved 498 smoking mothers who were all new antenatal clinic attenders. Data were collected by self-completed questionnaire containing closed and open response items. The participation rate was 95%. Main reasons given for smoking in pregnancy included those related to mood control (i.e. to relax, calm down, enjoyment, out of boredom) and addiction. Pregnant women were more likely to smoke to control their mood if they were older and smoked less than ten cigarettes per day. They were more likely to give addiction as their reason for smoking if they were older. Pregnant women were also more likely to smoke due to boredom if they were single, especially divorced or separated, from unskilled or semi-skilled occupational groups and if their husband or partner was unemployed. The implications of the findings for health education are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Patient perceptions of self-induced water intoxication.

This study comprehensively examines self-induced water intoxication (SIWI) from a patient perspective including demographics, reasons for seeking fluids, patterns/behaviors of fluid seeking, and symptoms frequently experienced while in a state of SIWI. The subjects were 45 of an original convenience sample of 62 individuals with a serious mental illness (SMI), hospitalized in a long-term state psychiatric facility, who engaged in self-induced water intoxication. All participants were interviewed in a structured format to complete a 40-item Likert-type questionnaire developed for the study, titled the Self-induced Water Intoxication Questionnaire (SIWIQ). In the study, the majority of participants were smokers, and reported no past problem with alcohol. SIWI occurred more in males than females, and was more predominant in those participants who had longer hospital stays. Anger and vomiting were found to be the two most predominant symptoms experienced when excess fluid consumption occurred. Behaviors of drinking from the shower, the toilet, and one's own urine are consistent with findings of previous studies and illustrate the difficulty in keeping individuals with SIWI from fluids. Data show that participants with SIWI experience considerable anxiety and cognitive difficulties and express these as reasons for engaging in excess fluid consumption. Boredom, obtaining a high, and sad mood were also predominant reasons identified for excess fluid drinking. Significant relationships were found and discussed. The findings provide support for the position that SIWI represents an attempt at treatment by the dysfunctional individual and is pursued for anxiolytic effects and alleviation of boredom. The data support the idea of approaching the problem from a dysfunctional coping framework, realizing that SIWI is a very complex problem, needing examination and intervention at multiple levels, beyond exclusive focus on fluid control.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2006

What Chinese adolescents think about quitting smoking: a qualitative study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of Chinese adolescents toward smoking, giving up smoking, and smoking cessation programs presently available. The study was a qualitative study carried out in 2002 by focus groups of 32 male secondary school students in Hong Kong who were either current smokers or had recently given up smoking. Subjects were students (grades 8-10) attending two full-day secondary schools in Hong Kong. Participants did not feel the need to make any serious psychological preparation for quitting. They underestimated the addictive nature of cigarette smoking and felt that they could choose to quit smoking at any time with little difficulty. Several barriers to quitting were reported, including boredom, peer influence, the urge to smoke, school work pressure, the wish to do something with their hands, difficulty in concentrating, and the ready availability of free cigarettes from peers. Those who had attempted to quit smoking (26/32) reported that peer influence and boredom were the main reasons why they started smoking and insisted that willpower and determination could have helped them in their quitting attempt. Participants were unanimous that pressure or encouragement from teachers, parents, or girlfriends did not help them to stay off cigarettes. Most (24/32) of the current smokers knew that smoking cessation services were available in Hong Kong, only 50% (12/24) of those who knew had made use of such services. None of the participants were able to identify any effective way of quitting smoking, though some suggested that the best practical measure was to avoid friends who smoked. The study suggests that attempts to persuade young people to quit smoking might benefit if they were framed to address issues such as the strong influence of their peers, the ease with which tobacco products can be obtained, the casual attitudes of young people toward smoking cessation, the perceived pros and cons of quitting, and (given that underage smoking is frowned upon by many parents and teachers) the need to respect confidentiality when offering support.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Adolescents' smoking expectancies: psychometric properties and prediction of behavior change.

Outcome expectancies have been related to smoking behavior among adults, but less attention has been given to expectancies about smoking among adolescents at differing levels of smoking experience. The present study reports the psychometric properties and predictive validity of a brief expectancy scale across two samples of adolescents. Sample 1 (N = 349) consisted of high school students (54% female) who were regular smokers enrolled in a cessation program. Sample 2 (N = 273) consisted of 8th- and 10th-grade early experimenters (54% female) involved in a natural history study of smoking trajectories. In both samples, a principal component analysis of a 13-item expectancy scale yielded four factors (taste, weight control, boredom relief, and negative affect management), each with high internal consistency (coefficient alphas >.77) and accounting for 73% and 80% of the total variance for each sample, respectively. Expectancies were significantly higher among current smokers than among early initiators. In Sample 1, boredom relief and weight management expectancies predicted smoking status 6 months later. In Sample 2, students whose smoking increased over 18 months had higher overall expectancies at baseline compared with those who tried smoking and did not escalate. These findings support the predictive validity of expectancies in predicting escalation and cessation. Implications for the importance of expectancies in understanding adolescent smoking behavior are considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Health and employment of a female population in an urban area.

The authors discuss the results of a survey of women aged 25 to 50 living in a university town in southern France (Montpellier). Morbidity of these women (reported health problems, consultation with health care professionals etc) was analysed as a function of whether or not they were employed out of the home. Overall, differences were minimal; after correction for demographic factors, the only significant difference was more frequent reports of fatigue, overwork or nervousness in the employed women. Satisfaction with life situations was more closely correlated with health than was employment per se. A great similarity was seen between, on the one hand, employed women satisfied with their occupational conditions and housewives who did not report boredom, and on the other hand, between employed women dissatisfied with their occupational conditions and housewives who reported boredom.

Adult↗