Andrade (2010) Doodling Case Study Revision

Vocabulary revision flashcards covering the core concepts, methodology, sample, variables, results, conclusions, and evaluation of Andrade's (2010) study on doodling.

Divided attention

The ability to split mental effort between $2$ or more simultaneous tasks (also known as dual tasks).

Concurrent task

An additional activity with a cognitive demand that can be performed at the same time as the main (primary) task.

Aim of Andrade (2010)

To investigate whether doodling assisted information processing and concentration during a boring auditory task.

Research method (Andrade, 2010)

A controlled laboratory experiment.

Experimental design (Andrade, 2010)

Independent measures design consisting of $2$ separate groups: the doodling group and the control group.

Sample (Andrade, 2010)

$40$ members of the general public, aged $18$ to $55$ years old, consisting of $25$ females and $15$ males.

Opportunity sampling (Andrade, 2010)

The sampling technique used to recruit participants based on who was available at the time.

Auditory task procedure (Andrade, 2010)

Participants were tested individually in a quiet room listening to a boring telephone message about organising a party and instructed to write down the names of people attending.

Independent variable (IV) (Andrade, 2010)

Whether participants doodled or did not doodle while listening to the message.

Dependent variable (DV) (Andrade, 2010)

The number of correct names and places remembered.

Key findings (Andrade, 2010)

The doodling group remembered significantly more information than the control group, recalling about $29\%$ more information.

Main conclusion (Andrade, 2010)

Suggests that doodling can improve concentration and help people remember more information during boring tasks or calls, possibly by preventing daydreaming.

Standardisation (Andrade, 2010)

A procedural strength where every participant listened to the exact same recorded telephone message in a controlled setting.

Objective measurements (Andrade, 2010)

A strength in data collection operationalised by counting the exact number of correct answers recalled.

Ecological validity weakness (Andrade, 2010)

The artificial nature of listening to a deliberately boring recorded telephone message in a quiet room does not fully reflect real-life listening situations.

Deception (Andrade, 2010)

An ethical issue involving mild deception because participants were not told in advance that their memory would later be tested.