Background/Objectives: In an increasingly pervasive digital environment, trait boredom has been identified as a key psychological factor in the onset and maintenance of problematic digital technology use. This systematic review aims to investigate the role of trait boredom in digital behavioral addictions, including problematic smartphone use, Internet and social media overuse, and gaming addiction, through theoretical models such as the I-PACE model and the Compensatory Internet Use Theory (CIUT). Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple scientific databases (PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus), yielding a total of 4603 records. Following the PRISMA guidelines after duplicate removal and screening based on title and abstract, 152 articles were assessed for full-text eligibility, and 28 studies met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and were included in the final review. Results: Findings reveal that trait boredom functions as both a direct and indirect factor in problematic technology use. It serves as a mediator and moderator in the relationship between psychological vulnerabilities (e.g., depression, alexithymia, vulnerable narcissism) and dysfunctional digital behaviors. Furthermore, as an independent variable, it has an influence on technological variables through Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), loneliness, low self-regulation, and dysfunctional metacognitions, while protective factors such as mindfulness and attentional control mitigate its impact. Conclusions: Boredom represents a central psychological lever for understanding behavioral addictions in the digital age and should be considered a key target in preventive and therapeutic interventions focused on enhancing self-regulation and meaningful engagement with free time.

Within the framework of Moral Foundations Theory (MFT; Haidt & Graham, Social Justice Research, 20(1), 98–116, 2007; Haidt & Joseph, Daedalus, 133(4), 55–66, 2004), the aim of the present study is to adapt and discuss the psychometric features of the Moral Foundations Questionnaire 2 (MFQ-2; Atari et al., Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2023) in the Italian context. Utilizing a sample of 947 Italian adults, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted, which confirmed the six-factor solution initially proposed for the MFQ-2. Each moral foundation demonstrated acceptable reliability, underscoring the robustness of the questionnaire’s internal consistency. Correlation analyses between the MFQ-2 and MFQ-1 dimensions indicate a significant consistency across the dimensions of both versions, affirming the convergent validity of the MFQ-2. Additionally, Multi-Group Confirmatory Analyses (MGCFAs) indicated that the MFQ-2 exhibits configural invariance across genders. Despite several limitations, this study provides precious insights into the adaptation process of the MFQ-2 for the Italian cultural context, contributing to a broader understanding of the MFT in Italy.

In recent years, numerous studies have investigated the association between trait boredom and the problematic use of digital technologies, producing a wide range of effect sizes. We conducted this meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines. A systematic literature search was performed in four databases: PsychINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 25 studies ( n = 15,152) met our inclusion criteria. We used a random-effects meta-analysis of Pearson’s r coefficients with Fisher’s Z-transformation. The results showed a moderate positive association between trait boredom and problematic digital technology use (r = .38, 95% CI [.32, .43]), with no evidence of publication bias. The relationship was not moderated by participants’ sex or age, nor by the type of digital behavior assessed. However, the year of publication, sample size, and methodological quality significantly moderated the strength of the association. The high level of heterogeneity observed suggests that additional moderators may influence this association. These findings highlight the relevance of trait boredom as a likely psychological vulnerability factor in problematic digital behavior. Future interventions should consider boredom proneness when developing prevention and treatment strategies for digital overuse.

This study explores whether exposure to positive (vs. basic) interactions with a migrant through an immersive 360° video with partial embodiment—where participants viewed the scene from a first-person perspective and observed only their virtual hands—can reduce implicit prejudice, attitudes, and emotions toward migrants. A total of 207 Italian participants were involved in the study. Approximately two weeks before the immersive video session, participants completed a questionnaire with scales measuring attitudes and emotions toward migrants and the Racial Implicit Association Test (IAT). In the laboratory, they were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: observing a migrant in the 360° video scenario engaging in either prosocial or basic behavior, while embodying virtual hands with either a White or Black skin tone. Results showed a reduction in implicit racial prejudice across both conditions (positive and basic contact), regardless of hand color. In addition, we observed a significant reduction of negative emotions and negative behavioral intentions toward migrants only in the positive condition. These findings highlight the potential of brief virtual intergroup contact that shows positive behaviors of outgroup members to reduce both implicit and explicit negative attitudes, adding evidence that even short immersive interventions can shape intergroup perceptions.