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A NEW STUDY CLAIMS THAT PEOPLE LIVING OUT IN THE STICKS ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE BORED THAN THOSE SURROUNDED BY BUILDINGS, DESPITE THE STEREOTYPE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE BEING A BIT DULL SOPHIE

ENGLAND 13:54, 02 Jun 2025 The countryside is ‘less boring’ than the city with those living surrounded by buildings more likely to tweet about being bored, a university study has found. The

findings, carried out by The University of Essex, discovered that visits to green areas were more interesting than concrete spaces. The research explored the negative impact of urban

environments using field studies, social media data and interviews. Study leader Dr Wijnand van Tilburg said: “Iconic English rock band The Clash accused the grey stone blocks of London of

causing them to ‘burn with boredom’. “Turns out they were on to something - without natural spaces around us, the living environment invites boredom into our lives.” Article continues below

The study also found that people living near natural spaces were less likely to tweet about being bored than those surrounded by buildings. The research, published in the Journal of

Experimental Psychology: General, also examined the impact of colour on boredom, with vivid scenes more likely to inspire positive feelings. Dr van Tilburg added: “Boredom is common and on

the rise in society. “Our research shows that this easily overlooked and often dismissed experience turns out to cause a slew of problems. “These include rule transgressions, group tensions,

impulsive behaviour, and poorer well-being. Article continues below “The finding that natural spaces can help prevent boredom offers a new tool to curb boredom’s problematic impacts in

society.”