There are probably a few characteristics that spring to mind when we think of a boring person, with perhaps a lack of a sense of humor being top of the list. This was confirmed in recent research from the University of Essex, which asked volunteers to jot down the typical features of a boring person. This includes things like their hobbies and professions as well as their personalities.

These characteristics were then grouped together, with 45 categories pertaining to our personality, 19 to our hobbies, and 28 to our occupation. An additional few groups of volunteers were then asked to rate how boring someone was with each of the characteristics, jobs, or hobbies.

Anatomy of dullness

The results reveal that the most likely characteristics to be associated with boringness were having no opinions or being dull, whereas the most boring occupations were found to be very maths oriented, and include accounting and tax/insurance. Meanwhile, the most boring hobbies included religion, sleeping, and watching TV.

The study then examined the perception people have towards people who have these traits. Volunteers were asked to read a number of vignettes about people, some of whom had the characteristics previously associated with boring people, others had those associated with the least boring people, and a third group somewhere in between.

The volunteers were asked to rate how competent and warm each person was. The results reveal that those with even moderately boring traits were viewed as not only less warm but also less competent than their less boring peer.

Poorly rated

The next experiment found that, as well as finding boring people less appealing, we also are less inclined to spend time with them to the extent that we will actively avoid doing so if they have boring traits. A final study then confirmed that we would need a decent chunk of money to be encouraged to spend time with a boring person.

Suffice to say, the researchers don’t explore whether the characterization of a boring person is actually accurate, and our understanding of what is, and is not, boring is undoubtedly going to be very individual. It also doesn’t address whether accountants are as boring as they are perceived, nor indeed where the stereotype that they are boring comes from. The researchers also accept that the study was conducted with British and American volunteers, so there may be cultural differences in what is regarded as boring.

What is perhaps most important to take away from the study, however, is less what we regard as boring but how we tend to react to someone we regard as boring. That negative reaction is likely to be consistent across cultures, so its important to note.