Research paper
Moynihan AB, van Tilburg WAP, Igou ER, Wisman A, Donnelly AE, Mulcaire JB. Eaten up by boredom: consuming food to escape awareness of the bored self. Frontiers in Psychology. 2015 Apr 1;6:369. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00369
Why we cite it
Three-study investigation providing the first empirical evidence that boredom specifically (not general negative affect) drives maladaptive eating through a sensation-seeking mechanism. Distinguishes boredom eating from sadness-driven eating using a sadness control condition. Identifies objective self-awareness as a moderator — only highly self-aware individuals show the effect. Crucially demonstrates that exciting healthy foods can redirect boredom eating constructively, offering a practical intervention pathway.