Increase of autonomic arousal by boredom.

Two experiments tested the effect of boredom on galvanic skin potential, skin conductance, and heart rate as autonomic measures of arousal. The results support Berlyne's 1960 hypothesis that boredom increases autonomic arousal. An intelligence measure correlated positively with rated boredom on the experimental task. The subjective state of boredom was seen as resulting from an inadequate rate of information flow. Inadequate information flow may result in increased autonomic arousal because of (a) S-produced arousal increase required to maintain focused attention on the task and/or (6) release of brain stem arousal centers by boredom-reduced cortical activation.