TY - JOUR PY - 2020// TI - State boredom results in optimistic perception of risk and increased risk-taking JO - Cognition and emotion A1 - Bench, Shane W. A1 - Bera, Jac'lyn A1 - Cox, Jaylee SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - While models considering the relationship between emotion and risk differ, many agree that emotions should affect risk in accordance with the adaptive function of the emotion. The function of boredom has been proposed to motivate the pursuit of an alternative experience. Based on this, we predicted that a state of boredom would result in an optimistic perception of risk and increased risk-taking. In Study 1 (n = 164) and Study 2 (n = 200) participants who were made bored (relative to neutral, anger, and fear conditions) reported less worry and concern and estimated fewer deaths for causes of death. Study 3 (n = 149) showed that participants who were made bored (compared to neutral and fear conditions) perceived risk more optimistically, reported being more likely to take risks, and perceived more potential benefits from taking risks. In Study 4 (n = 84) participants who were made bored (relative to neutral) took more risks on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, a behavioural measure of risk. These findings show that state boredom results in an optimistic perception of risk, increased self-reported risk taking, and increased risk taking. Our results support boredom as an emotion that impacts risk in line with its function.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0269-9931 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2020.1858760 ID - ref1 ER -