Out of My Skull

The Psychology of Boredom

Out of My Skull
James Danckert, John D Eastwood
RRP:
NZ$ 86.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 73.94
Hardback
h210 x 140mm - 288pg
11 May 2020 US
9780674984677
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
No one likes to be bored. Two leading psychologists explain what causes boredom and how to listen to what it is telling you, so you can live a more engaged life.We avoid boredom at all costs. It makes us feel restless and agitated. Desperate for something to do, we play games on our phones, retie our shoes, or even count ceiling tiles. And if we escape it this time, eventually it will strike again. But what if we listened to boredom instead of banishing it?Psychologists James Danckert and John Eastwood contend that boredom isn't bad for us. It's just that we do a bad job of heeding its guidance. When we're bored, our minds are telling us that whatever we are doing isn't working-we're failing to satisfy our basic psychological need to be engaged and effective. Too many of us respond poorly. We become prone to accidents, risky activities, loneliness, and ennui, and we waste ever more time on technological distractions. But, Danckert and Eastwood argue, we can let boredom have the opposite effect, motivating the change we need. The latest research suggests that an adaptive approach to boredom will help us avoid its troubling effects and, through its reminder to become aware and involved, might lead us to live fuller lives.Out of My Skull combines scientific findings with everyday observations to explain an experience we'd like to ignore, but from which we have a lot to learn. Boredom evolved to help us. It's time we gave it a chance.
Boredom bothers nearly everyone, but who likes admitting that? Take heart: James Danckert and John Eastwood demonstrate how boredom, though unpleasant, can spur us into productive action. Out of My Skull just might make you feel better about this very human failing-I know it did for me. -- Peter Toohey, author of Boredom: A Lively HistoryProvocative and timely, cheeky and erudite, this book will bore no one. -- Colin Ellard, author of Places of the Heart: The Psychogeography of Everyday LifeFew have done as much as James Danckert and John Eastwood to bring boredom out of the scientific shadows and inspire researchers to give it the consideration it deserves. Out of My Skull is a gift for the rest of us-accessible, engaging, and enlightening. -- Mark Fenske, coauthor of The Winner's Brain: 8 Strategies Great Minds Use to Achieve SuccessAn inspiring look at the nature of boredom-what causes it, how we deal with it, and how it impacts our lives. Danckert and Eastwood explore some of the most pressing problems of our time, including solitary confinement, delinquency, internet addiction, and war, challenging us to consider what boredom can tell us about our world and ourselves. -- Heather Lench, editor of The Function of Emotions: When and Why Emotions Help UsOut of My Skull is a highly entertaining, compelling, and thought-provoking read on the subject of boredom. I learned a lot, and so will you. -- Joshua Coleman, author of When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along
James Danckert is Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo and a cognitive neuroscientist. An expert on the psychology of boredom, he also studies the neuroscience of attention and the consequences of strokes. John D. Eastwood is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University and a clinical psychologist. He trains future clinicians and conducts research on the intersection of cognition and emotion.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9780674984677
Published: 11 May 2020
Published In: United States
Imprint: Harvard University Press
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Format: Hardback
Height: 210mm
Width: 140mm
Pages: 288

In stock - for items in stock we aim to dispatch the next business day. For delivery in NZ allow 2-5 business days, with rural taking a wee bit longer.

Locally sourced in NZ - stock comes from a NZ supplier with an approximate delivery of 7-15 business days.

International Imports - stock is imported into NZ, depending on air or sea shipping option from the international supplier stock can take 10-30 working days to arrive into NZ. 

Pre-order Titles - delivery will vary depending on where the title is published, if local stock is available in NZ then 5-7 business days, for international imports it can be 10-30 business days. In all cases we will access the quickest supply option.

Delivery Packaging - we ship all items in cardboard sleeves or by box with either packing paper or corn starch chips. (We avoid using plastics bubble bags)

Tracking - Orders are delivered by track and trace courier and are fully insured, tracking information will be sent by email once dispatched.

View our full Order & Delivery information