Andrade

• Doodling is absent-mindedly sketching patterns, unrelated to the primary task.
• Research shows we perform worse if our attention is divided. However, other studies show doodling may help maintain arousal while thinking, leading to better attention / memory.
• Andrade’s aim was to investigate if doodling assisted information processing by increasing attentiveness or enhancing memory
• 40 participants from a participant panel were recruited ( opportunity sample ). They were aged 18-55 and paid a small sum for participating. The sample mainly consisted of females, with only 2 males in the control group and 3 in the doodling group. They were recruited right after finishing an unrelated experiment with a different experimenter to enhance boredom.
• METHOD:

  • Research method - laboratory experiment
  • Experimental design - Independent group design
  • Independent variable - doodling
  • Dependent variable - accuracy of recall — operationalized as monitored and incidental information.
• Participants were seated in a dull, quiet room. They listen to a monotonous telephone call about a party for 2.5 minutes. They were told to remember the names of the people who would be attending the party. 
• Participants were also given a surprise, memory test to list the names of the places mentioned in the telephone call. 
• The order of these tests were counterbalanced. The final score was calculated by subtracting the number of correct names from false alarms.
• False alarm was a name that wasn’t mentioned, or the names that were used as lures.
• The doodling group was given an A4 paper with rows of squares and circles and a margin to record information. They were asked to shade using a pencil to relieve boredom. The non-doodlers were given lined paper. 
• 3 doodlers and 4 controls suspected a memory test. This suggests that there were demand characteristics that made the aim obvious to the participants. However, none said that they actively tried to remember the information. 
• • Participants in the control group correctly recalled a mean of 7.1 names and five people made a false alarm. 
  • Participants in the doodling group correctly recalled a mean of 7.8 names, and one person made one false alarm.
• Overall, the doodling participants recalled a mean of 7.5 names and places which was 29% more than the mean of 5.8 for the control group. 
• Recall for both monitored and incidental information was better for doodlers than controls, even when the participants who suspected a test were excluded. 
• Doodling helps concentration on a primary task as doodling participants performed better than non-doodlers. The doodle group performed better on both tasks. There are two possible explanations for this:

  • Doodling improved attention
  • Doodling improved memory by encouraging information processing.