What do psychologists suggest about boredom?
Modern life offers few opportunities to be bored: a phone is always at hand to fill any gap. Psychologists, however, suggest that boredom is not merely an annoyance but a signal that prompts us to seek something more meaningful. In experiments, people who were asked to do a dull task before a creative one often produced more original ideas than those who were not. The explanation may be that a wandering mind makes unexpected connections. Critics of this view say that the effects are small and that deliberate rest, such as a walk, may work as well as tedium. Nonetheless, there is wide agreement that constant stimulation leaves little room for reflection, and that a few empty minutes may be worth defending.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. It can encourage people to look for meaningful activity
- Step 1: Boredom is described as a signal prompting us to seek something more meaningful.
Answer
It can encourage people to look for meaningful activity.
Why not the others: The passage does not link boredom to depression, to blocking creativity or to age.
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