Publications
Igou, E. R., Van Tilburg, W. A. P., Moynihan, A., & O’Dea, M. K. (in press). Boredom and Meaning. In K. Vail, D. van Tongeren, B. Schlegel, J. Greenberg, L. King, & R. Ryan (Eds.), The Handbook of the Science of Existential Psychology.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2024) Spontaneous self-affirmation increases meaning and reduces boredom. Motivation and Emotion.
Igou, E. R., O’Dea, M. K., Tam, K. Y., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2024). Boredom and the quest for meaning. In M. Bieleke, W. Wolff, & C. Martarelli (Eds.),The Routledge International Handbook of Boredom.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2024) Preventing boredom with gratitude: The role of meaning in life. Motivation and Emotion.
O’Dea, M. K., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2023). Self-compassion and heroes. In S. Allison, G. Goethals, & J. Beggan (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of Heroism Studies.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., Van Tilburg, W. A. P, & Kinsella, E. L. (2022) Self-compassion as a psychological resource against boredom: The role of meaning in life. Personality and Individual Differences, 186, 111360.
Conference Presentations
O’Dea, M. K., Militaru, I. E., Igou, E. R., Rentfrow, P, J., & van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2024, February) Adding colour to life: Nature alleviates boredom thorough vividness. SPSP 2024 Annual Convention, San Diego, USA.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2024, February). Preventing boredom with gratitude: The role of meaning in life. SPSP 2024 Happiness and Well-being Preconference, San Diego, USA.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., Van Tilburg, W. A. P., & Kinsella, E. L. (2023, July). From awe to boredom: Untangling the complex relationship between awe and boredom with meaning in life. 19th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Krakow, Poland.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., Van Tilburg, W. A. P., & Kinsella, E. L. (2023, June). Is awe an antidote to boredom? Investigating the relationship between awe and boredom with meaning in life. The Role of Emotions in Societal Problems Preconference, 19th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Krakow, Poland.
O’Dea, M. K., Vogel, V., Dougall, I., & Morton, J. (2022, August). The Individualistic Pursuit of a Meaningful Life. European Association of Social Psychology Summer School 2022, SWPS University, Wroclaw, Poland.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., Van Tilburg, W. A. P., & Kinsella, E. L. (2022, April). Self-transcendent experiences prevent boredom: The buffering role of meaning. 94th Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, USA.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., Van Tilburg, W. A. P., & Kinsella, E. L. (2022, February). Self-compassion predicts less boredom: The role of meaning in life. Existential Psychology Preconference, Society for Personality and Social Psychology 2022 Annual Convention, San Francisco, USA. [Student Registration Award]
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R.,Van Tilburg, W. A. P., & Kinsella, E. L. (2021, September). Gratitude and self-compassion promote resilience to boredom: The role of meaning in life. ESCON Transfer of Knowledge Conference 2021, Salzburg, Austria.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R.,Van Tilburg, W. A. P., & Kinsella, E. L. (2021, July). Self-compassion promotes boredom resilience: The role of meaning in life. British Psychological Society Conference, United Kingdom.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2021, April). Gratitude Buffers Against Boredom by Imbuing Life with Meaning. 93rd Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, USA.
Igou, E. R, O’Dea, M. K., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2020, June). Boredom containment: Dispositional gratitude as a resource. SWPS University, Wroclaw, Poland.
O’Dea, M. K., Igou, E. R., & Van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2020, April). Too grateful to be bored: Dispositional gratitude reduces boredom. All Ireland Psychology Student Congress, Psychological Society of Ireland.
Invited Presentations
O’Dea, M. K. (2024, December). Self-transcendent emotions and boredom: The key role of meaning in life. Department of Psychology Research Colloquium, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau.
O’Dea, M. K. (2024, September). Self-transcendent emotions and boredom: The key role of meaning in life. School of Psychology Series, University of Galway.
O’Dea, M. K. (2024, March). Self-transcendent emotions as a psychological resource against boredom: The key role of meaning in life. Immersive Software Engineering Programme, University of Limerick.
O’Dea, M. K. (2024, February). Self-transcendent emotions as a psychological resource against boredom: The key role of meaning in life. Berkeley Social Interaction Laboratory, UC Berkeley.
O’Dea, M. K. (2023, September). Education and Health Sciences Information Session: Irish Research Council Postgraduate Awards. University of Limerick.
O’Dea, M. K. (2023, March). Self-transcendent emotions as a psychological resource against boredom: The key role of meaning in life. Department of Psychology, University of Limerick.
O’Dea, M. K. (2022, December). Self-transcendent emotions as a psychological resource against boredom: The key role of meaning in life. Department of Psychology, University of Essex.
O’Dea, M. K. (2022, November). Pursuing a research career in psychology. Dublin City University.
Science Communication
Demystified, Dublin City FM, May 4th 2024. https://ww w.mixcloud.com/1032DublinCityFM/demystified-26th-may-2024/
PsyPost, April 27th 2024. “Spontaneous self-affirmation is related to reduced boredom proneness via heightened meaning in life” https://www.psypost.org/spontaneous-self-affirmation-is-related-to-reduced-boredom-proneness-via-heightened-meaning-in-life/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_
PsyPost, April 13th 2024. “New psychology research shows grateful people feel less boredom”. https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-shows-grateful-people-feel-less-boredom/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
RTE Brainstorm, April 11th 2024. “All you ever wanted to know about boredom”. https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2024/0410/1442714-boredom-behaviour-creativity-research/
The Mind Yourself Podcast, October 2023. “Muireann O’Dea- Boredom and Meaning in Life”.https://open.spotify.com/episode/2KwYNQRka0jf5DeEKVIMwr?si=t5VErGY4R46NuJ92QE9lUw
The Irish Examiner, September 22nd 2023, “Workplace Wellbeing: Looking beyond boredom at work.” https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/healthandwellbeing/arid-41231389.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology (October, 2022).“Muireann O’Dea on boredom, self-compassion, and meaning in life.” https://www.issep.org/interview/odea
Greater Good Magazine University of California, Berkeley, May 12th 2022, “Can Being Kind to Yourself Alleviate Boredom?” https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_being_kind_to_yourself_help_alleviate_boredom
Verywell Mind, April 6th 2022, “People with high levels of self-compassion experience less boredom, study says”: https://www.verywellmind.com/people-with-higher-levels-of-self-compassion-experience-less-boredom-says-study-5223931
PsyPost, March 15th 2022, “People who have high levels of self-compassion are less prone to boredom, study finds”: https://www.psypost.org/2022/03/people-who-have-high-levels-of-self-compassion-are-less-prone-to-boredom-study-finds-62730?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=linkedin