Andrade

Approach

Cognitive - concentration, attention, and functioning of memory

Psychology

explores the role of doodling on concentration and attention

Background

none specific to this study but Andrade already knew a few things

Background #1

people daydream during boring tasks to distract themselves

Background #2

people doodle when they get bored

Background #3

we don't know if doodling aids or impairs attention

Background #4

doodling increases the load on working memory, but doesn't affect higher order thinking, therefore: - it's a low load on executive functioning that prevents daydreaming - doodling as a secondary task keeps the mind from daydreaming

Aim

to test whether doodling aids in concentration of a boring task

Hypothesis

Doodling can improve concentration and memory of a conversation. (one-tailed)

Independent Variable

doodling group/condition, non-doodling (control) group/condition (independent measures)

Dependent Variables

1) memory - surprise memory test at the end (names, places) 2) concentration and attention - monitoring of conversation, correct names of party goers

Method

- controlled laboratory experiment - independent measures - controls for the practice effect - memory: the surprise test concentration: writing down the names of party goers

Apparatus for Control Group

A4 lined paper and a pencil

Apparatus for Doodling Group

A4 paper with alternating squares and circles to shade in and a pencil

Apparatus for Both Groups

2.5 minutes phone message with speaking rate of 227 wpm and comfortable listening volume

content of phone message

- 8 names of people attending the party - 3 names of people not attending the party - Ben the cat - 8 places

Participants

- 40 individuals aged 18 to 55 years - 20 randomly assigned to each group - majority female - 18F to 2M in control, 17F to 3M in experimental - one person in experimental group didn't doodle so they were replaced

Situational Control

Alertness and activity is controlled for by using an opportunity sample on a group of people that just completed a study

Instructional Control

All participants being told that the message would be dull prevented them from being interested

Material Control

The monotone of the message controls for any nonverbal cueing of any information

Task Control #1

The use of two different sensory tasks prevents the splitting of attention

Task Control #2

Not letting the participants know about the memory test at the end prevents them from using any type of memory enhancer

Task Control #3

The same type of doodling prevents freehand doodling and shading replicates real-world doodling

Task Control #4

The use of counterbalancing ensures that the order in which the information is asked doesn't make a difference

ABBA

half the group does A first, then B, and the other half does B first, then A

Scoring Control

Subtracting false alarms prevents guessing from affecting results

Step 1 (Procedure)

All participants completed a prior unrelated study before this one

Step 2 (Procedure)

All participants were given standardized instructions to listen to a dull, boring message and to write down the names of the party goers

Step 3 (Procedure)

All papers were collected when the message ended

Step 4 (Procedure)

Surprise memory test

Step 5 (Procedure)

Participants were debriefed and apologized to

Data

quantitative data - mean number of correct party goers written down and mean number of correct places and names for the memory test, with false alarms subtracted

Finding #1

The doodling group (7.8) wrote down more correct names of party goers than the control group (7.1)

Finding #2

The doodling group (7.5) recalled significantly more (29%) names and places in the memory test than the control group (5.8)

Conclusion #1

Doodling aids in concentration by reducing daydreaming

Conclusion #2

Doodling has a beneficial effect on the monitoring and recalling of boring material

Informed consent (ethics)

Andrade explained the experiment and got verbal consent from the participants, deception by omission of the surprise memory test was used

Confidentiality (ethics)

Only extremely basic, nondescript demographics are known regarding the participants

Protection from harm (ethics)

None of the participants were placed in any danger

Debriefing (ethics)

The participants were told the truth of the study, and Andrade even apologized

Strength #1

Since the experiment is in a laboratory, there is a high level of controls and therefore, it is highly likely that doodling is the only variable that affected the DV.

Strength #2

The standardization of the instructions allows for easy replication of the experiment

Strength #3

The data being quantitative and objective makes it statistically comparable

Strength #4

The use of independent measures prevents the practice effect, the fatigue effect, and participants from guessing aim

Weakness #1

The genders of the participants are very disproportionate, with no kids or elderly, which makes generalization difficult.

Weakness #2

Since the experiment took place in a laboratory, there is low ecological validity

Weakness #3

The task has low mundane realism because doodling while listening to a boring phone message and then being tested on it is not a real-world task

Weakness #4

The use of independent measures may create participant variables such as memory and doodling ability

Issue & Debate (application)

These findings can be applied to students in school with a primary auditory task, to any boring tasks in the business world, and to therapy for depression.

Issue & Debate (individual)

- Some people already use similar strategies to prevent boredom - Extroverts may get bored more easily because they don't have anything entertaining them

Issue & Debate (situational)

The act of doodling caused the improvement, not the person itself

load

space or spot

working memory

short-term memory

function of memory

coding, storing and processing of information