What is boredom, why do we experience it, and what happens when we do? According to the MAC model, boredom is caused by (and signals) deficits of meaning and attention. Boredom results when something is too easy OR too hard, because both make it hard to pay attention. Boredom due to overstimulation leads people to prefer enjoyable activities, while boredom due to understimulation leads them to prefer interesting ones.