Ep. 121: Dr. James Danckert - Nothing Humdrum About Boredom

Full PreFrontal

None of us are fans of being bored; a state often marked by restlessness and mild forms of agitation. That’s why we all try and avoid the angst that seems to be associated with boredom. But surprisingly, scientists who study the brain, suggest that boredom isn’t too bad for us, but rather the brain’s nudge to get out of that state, take action, and bring about change.
On this episode, neuroscientist, trained Clinical Neuropsychologist, and co-author of “Out of My Skull”, professor James Danckert discusses the neural correlates of boredom, how to structure our thinking about it, and the significance of boredom in school, at work, and in life.
About James Danckert, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience
James Danckert trained as a Clinical Neuropsychologist in Australia before moving to Canada to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Melvyn Goodale at London Ontario. He was awarded a Canada Research Chair at the University of Waterloo where his research explores the neural and cognitive correlates of boredom, how the brain builds and updates mental models, and the consequences of stroke for attention and vision.
Website:

• https://www.jamesdanckert.com/

Books:

• Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom

About Host, Sucheta Kamath
Sucheta Kamath, is an award-winning speech-language pathologist, a TEDx speaker, a celebrated community leader, and the founder and CEO of ExQ®. As an EdTech entrepreneur, Sucheta has designed ExQ's personalized digital learning curriculum/tool that empowers middle and high school students to develop self-awareness and strategic thinking skills through the mastery of Executive Function and social-emotional competence.

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