AS Psych: Andrade (doodling)
Psychology Being Investigated
1. Arousal levels (extent to which we are alert) need to be maintained to be able to concentrate on a task
2. Attention is required for the encoding stage of the memory process, so recall can be used as a measure of attention
3. Research has shown we perform less well when our attention is divided between tasks, so doodling may cause us to be worse at the primary task
4. But divided attention is easier when tasks are simple, well practiced and automatic
5. This study looks at whether doodling aids concentration, possibly by raising arousal and enhancing focused attention on the primary task
Background
Wilson & Korn (2007)
– Suggested doodling may help maintain arousal by giving people something physical to do while they think
– Especially for tasks involving low arousal
– Increasing arousal decreases daydreaming, thus increasing concentration
Do & Schallert
– Doodling may aid concentration by reducing daydreaming, so increases focus
– Daydreaming is linked to high arousal (when bored)
– Daydreaming uses important cognitive processing resources so inhabits performance on tasks that use this resources (attention and memory)
Aim
1. To investigate if performing a concurrent task (doodling) aids a primary task (memory recall)
2. To investigate if doodling affects concentration by enabling people to attend more effectively / enhance their memory
Method
Research method: Lab experiment
Research design: Independent measures
IV: Doodling; if P doodled / not
DV: Memory recall tested on 2 tasks “monitored information” (partygoers) and “incidental information” (places)
Sampling technique: Opportunity
Sample
– 40 participants (P)
– 5 male, 35 female
– 20 in each group (doodling / not)
– 18-55 years old
– members of the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit
– Paid a small sum to participate
Procedure
– P asked to join the study immediately after participating in another unrelated experiment by a different researcher → increase boredom
– Tested individually in a quiet, dull room (visually, to increase boredom)
– Both groups given an A4 sheet of paper
1) Control: lined with no shapes, no instructions about doodling but can if they wanted
2) Experimental: printed with rows of shapes to shade (1cm in diameter, 10 shapes per row, alternating circles and squares), told to shade the shapes
– Asked to listen to a 2.5 min telephone message about a party (audio recording) → monotonous + average speed 227 words per min
– Each P listened at a comfortable volume
– Recording mentioned:
1) 8 people who can come (Jane, William, Claire, Craig, Suzie, Jenny, Phil, Tony)
2) 3 people who cannot (Nigel, John, Ben (a cat!)) → “lures”
3) 8 place names
4) A lot of irrelevant information
– P told beforehand they would be tested on names of partygoers → given standardized instructions
– Names of partygoers “monitoring task,” names of places “recall task” (unexpected)
– After: Experimenter (E) collected response sheets + engage P in a conversation for 1 minute, including an apology for misleading them about the memory test
– P then complete test of recalling names of partygoers and places → counterbalanced: half recalled places first, half partygoers first
– P debriefed and asked if they suspected a memory test
Results
Doodling behavior
– Mean number of shapes shaded = 36.3 (range 3-110)
– Control group did not doodle
Mean recalling of names
– Doodling: mean 7.8 names, 1P had false alarm*, 15 remembered all 8 partygoers
– Control: mean 7.1 names, 5P had false alarm*, 9 remembered all 8 partygoers
– Overall, names were better recalled than places
Mean results for overall (both names and places)
– Doodling group did 29% better than control
– Doodling mean 7.5, control mean 5.8
– Results were still significant after removing P (7 total) who were anticipating the memory test
Monitoring performance scores (MPS)**
– Doodling condition (mean 7.7) was significantly better than control group (mean 6.9)
Conclusion
1. Doodling helps people concentrate better as it increases arousal, prevents them from getting distracted, and maintains attention
2. Doodling aids concentration while performing a mundane or boring task
Ethical Issues
Deception – P told they did not need to remember anything on the tape, which was not true
Informed consent – Since they were not informed they would need to remember the contents of the tape, informed consent could not be given
Protection from Harm – P may have been distressed or stressed if they were unable to remember the information
Debrief – E debriefed and apologized for misleading P about the unexpected recall
Application to daily life
– Schools can improve student’s attention by letting them doodle as they perform a visual or auditory task (e.g. watching an educational film)
– Doodling can be used to improve concentration during work meetings
*name of someone not going to the party, or completely new names generated by P
**operational definition: number of correct names (including plausible mishearing e.g. ‘Craig’ as ‘Greg’) minus false alarms