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116 CHAPTER 5rates of boredom outside of school (Larson & Richard, 1991). Expla-
nations for boredom also include dislike of a course, instructor, or
specific course content.
In a recent conversation about some reading material, one of my
students reported that he found the material boring. When I tried
to discover what aspect of the material he thought was boring, I
quickly learned it was not “boredom” that was the problem, but his
lack of understanding of the material. Therefore, when students
report that they are bored with the material, they may use this state
of mind to escape from learning tasks that are perceived to be
beyond their capabilities.
Can something be done about boredom? The answer to this ques-
tion may depend on how students attribute the causes of their bore-
dom. For example, if students believe boredom is caused by external
and uncontrollable factors (i.e., an uninspiring instructor or course),
they will be less likely to think they can do something about their
feelings as compared with students who attribute their boredom to
internal and controllable factors (i.e., lack of understanding of the
material or lack of effort). Successful students find ways to manage
their boredom because they attribute it to controllable factors.
Try setting some personal goals to increase your motivation in a
course. For example: Ask for help, locate reference books on topics
that cause some difficulty, write papers on topics that interest you,
talk to the instructor about the course, and study in a group. Think
about the ways that you deal with boredom in your daily life.HOW ARE EMOTIONS INFLUENCED BY EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES?Okay, suppose I convinced you that it is good to have positive emo-
tions. I think must students would agree with this belief. However,
what do you do when you feel anxious or sad or depressed? Can one
change his or her emotions? There is considerable evidence that indi-
viduals can be taught to change their emotions (e.g., Kanfer & Goldstein,
1991). Let’s review one technique that you can use.
We often think that some environmental event causes some conse-
quence. The following is such an example:(A) “My friend didn’t listen to my feelings when I said that
I was upset.”
(C) “I am really angry.”Ellis (1962) developed a system to deal with irrational ideas and
beliefs and replace them with realistic statements about the world. He
called his approach rational emotive therapy. His basic premise is that