They say idle hands are a devil's playground, but a new study suggests a disinterested mind may always be an amusement park for evil.
Researchers at Aarhus University found people who are bored will behave more sadistically to mitigate feelings of boredom - this includes viewing images of injured people or even thinking about harming others.
The team reviewed nine studies that involved more than 4,000 people in total and concluded sadistic tendencies are more pronounced among people who report chronic proneness to boredom in everyday life.
The studies included military personal acting sadistic when bored on post, parents finding enjoyment in their child's misfortune and the act of hurting a worm because the individual was not satisfied with watching a movie.
Researchers at Aarhus University found people who are bored will behave more sadistically to mitigate feelings of boredom - this includes viewing images of injured people or even thinking about harming others
Sadism is a psychosexual disorder in which sexual urges are gratified by the infliction of pain on another person.
It is also sometimes considered as a 'dark' personality trait next to narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy.
And now when boredom sets in, sadistic behavior seems to follow.
The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes, which compiles several studies to see exactly how the two are linked, Research Digest reports.
The team reviewed nine studies that involved more than 4,000 people in total and concluded sadistic tendencies are more pronounced among people who report chronic proneness to boredom in everyday life
The first study included 1,780 people from the US, Germany and Denmark, who completed personality assessments and scales that measured how likely they are to feel bored in their everyday lives.
Participants were asked to report how much they relate to specific statements like 'Many things I have to do are monotonous and repetitive' and 'I often find myself at 'loose ends.'
They were also asked to report if they had been cruel to people