Is thinking really aversive? A commentary on Wilson et al.'s 'Just think: the challenges of the disengaged mind'
A commentary by Kieran Fox and colleagues on the 2014 thinking studies. It points out that 57 per cent of participants in the shock study never shocked themselves and only 17 per cent gave more than two shocks, and that of the 18 who did, 14 described curiosity and 4 mentioned boredom. The authors argue the study shows curiosity and boredom rather than that thinking is aversive, and that boredom is not the same as unpleasantness.
A commentary by Kieran Fox and colleagues on the 2014 thinking studies. It points out that 57 per cent of participants in the shock study never shocked themselves and only 17 per cent gave more than two shocks, and that of the 18 who did, 14 described curiosity and 4 mentioned boredom. The authors argue the study shows curiosity and boredom rather than that thinking is aversive, and that boredom is not the same as unpleasantness.
Written from the publisher page read on 8 October 2026.
What our sources record
Reproduced as it was written when this source was checked, figures and all.
5, 1427. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01427. Read at the publisher, 2026-10-08: 57 per cent never shocked themselves; 17 per cent gave more than two shocks; of 18 who shocked themselves, 14 described curiosity and 4 mentioned boredom.