We all have in mind the stereotype of someone who is boring, who according to our criteria, would not have much interesting to say, would not have an exciting life, would have nothing to “bring” to us… If this perception is totally subjective, science has looked into these “criteria” that can make us boring in the eyes of othersas revealed a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Researchers at the English University of Essex took 5 pre-existing studies to be able to define three criteria from a professional perspective, based on our hobbies and the character traits that make us boring. The respondents come from the United States, so the results are oriented through an American lens.
Who is the boring person?
Overall, the stereotype of the “boring person” contains these character traits in society: she complains, she doesn’t position herself, she doesn’t have much to answer the question “what are your interests?”, she doesn’t have a lot of humor (if at all).
Since interests are covered, the study bounces back to personal hobbies considered boring. We then find in the elements listed, interest in religion, maths, curiosity for animals, the fact oflove to sleep (it must be said that there is not much to say on this subject …), or even love watching tv (and communicate on the subject).
Professionally, it emerged that the field of insurance, taxes, data analysis, accounting, banking or maintenance were considered painful in a discussion.
Obviously, working in finance and loving sleep do not automatically make you boring people… These are only criteria, which are not without impact on a social scale. Because the study also highlights thatbeing someone considered boring was a heavy payoff socially: this would associate with a lack of skills, a lack of warmth and the respondents even underlined that it was better to “avoid” these people.
Source : Boring People: Stereotype Characteristics, Interpersonal Attributions, and Social Reactions, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, March 2022.
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