It's not a bug, it's boredom: Effortful willpower balances exploitation and exploration
Maik Bieleke, Wanja Wolff
Abstract
The continuous revaluation of rewards lies at the core of Ainslie's account of willpower. Yet, he does not explicate the underlying experiential mechanisms. We draw upon theoretical, neuroscientific, and computational evidence to demonstrate that boredom evokes revaluation. By biasing behavior toward exploration, boredom necessitates effortful willpower to balance it against exploitation, thereby rendering suppression a highly adaptive function of willpower.
Topics & Concepts
BoredomPsychologyRendering (computer graphics)Balance (ability)Cognitive psychologySocial psychologyComputer scienceNeuroscienceArtificial intelligenceMind wandering and attentionNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesSleep and Wakefulness Research