Corinna Martarelli on the TV programme «Quarks»: How boredom affects our perception of time

In the episode entitled «Von Kaffee bis Kreatin: Was uns wirklich wach macht» (From coffee to creatine: What really keeps us awake), the programme explores various ways of combating tiredness and examines why boredom can also make us feel tired. Prof. Dr Corinna Martarelli explains that boredom is not merely an unpleasant feeling, but also an important signal that encourages us to change our behaviour. Her research examines, among other things, the role our individual perception of time plays in the experience of boredom.

When we are bored, time often seems to pass particularly slowly – it feels as though it is dragging on forever. In a study, Corinna Martarelli and her fellow researchers used virtual waiting rooms and manipulated wall clocks to investigate the link between boredom and our subjective perception of time. The findings show that the more bored a person feels, the more slowly time seems to pass, regardless of how quickly the clock is actually ticking.