What is Idleness Aversion?
Or, how to make waiting in line less painful…
Have you ever had to wait for a really slow elevator?
It seems to take forever, right?
In post-war America, high-rise buildings had this problem for years. People would complain because the elevators were too slow.
But instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars to make the elevators faster, these high-rise office buildings and apartments began putting mirrors inside elevators. Now, people could check out their hair and makeup while they waited.
The complaints about slow elevators?
They disappeared overnight.
Why? It’s down a psychological principle known as Idleness Aversion.
What is Idleness Aversion?
This principle says that people are happier when they’re busier. Even if we’re forced to be busy, we still prefer it to just waiting around. Researcher Chris Hsee put it this way:
“People dread idleness, yet they need a reason to be busy.”
