Endlessly scrolling through short videos on social media, a daily habit for many, could have an unexpected effect: intensifying boredom. This is the finding of a recent study conducted by the University of Toronto Scarborough and published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

The research seeks to understand how the use of fast-forward functions and switching frequently through videos impacts the boredom experienced by users of apps built around such behaviour. To undertake their research, experts conducted two separate experiments involving around 1,200 participants in the US and Canada.

First, participants watched a 10-minute video without the option of fast-forwarding or skipping. Next, they were given a choice of seven videos, each five minutes long, with the option of switching between them at will, again for 10 minutes.

In a second phase, participants watched a 10-minute video all at once, followed by a 50-minute video where they could move forwards or backwards as they wished.

Participants expected to be less bored when they had the option of switching between videos or using fast-forward. However, the results revealed the opposite: they reported that watching a long-form video from start to finish was actually more engaging, satisfying and meaningful.

“Digital switching may make online videos seem meaningless because people don’t have time to engage with or understand the content,” lead author Katy Tam explained. “Just like paying for a more immersive experience in a movie theatre, more enjoyment comes from immersing oneself in online videos rather than swiping through them.”

Despite these results, short-format videos continue to predominate on platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. In fact, some two billion users now watch shorts on YouTube every month.