Motivational effects of boredom on children's response speeds

Investigated whether boredom, manipulated by varying constancy and duration of visual stimulation, would facilitate the instrumental and noninstrumental lever response speeds of 60 2nd graders. On each of 24 trials, ss responded following an 8- or 18-sec presentation of a colored picture or square. It was found that both instrumental and noninstrumental responding were faster following 18-sec durations. Instrumental responding tended to be faster with pictures; noninstrumental responding was faster with squares. The stimulus duration effects provided clear support for H. Fowler's theory of boredom as a source of drive. Some theoretical support was found for the effect of stimulus constancy on noninstrumental responding, but not for instrumental responding. This differential effect is discussed in relation to possible incentive factors.