Take Note:

Take Note: Doodling Can Help Memory

You might look like you're not paying attention when you doodle, but science says otherwise.

Researchers in the United Kingdom found that test subjects

who doodled while listening to a recorded message had a 29 percent better recall of the message's details than those who didn't doodle. The findings were published in Applied Cognitive Psychology.

"If someone is doing a boring task, like listening to a dull

telephone conversation, they may start to daydream," study researcher Professor Jackie Andrade, of the School of Psychology at the University of Plymouth, said in a news release issued by the journal's publisher. "Daydreaming distracts them from the task, resulting in poorer performance. A simple task, like doodling, may be sufficient to stop daydreaming without affecting performance on the main task."

For the experiment, a two-and-a-half minute listing of

several people's names and places was played for test subjects, who were charged with writing down only the names of the people said to be attending a party. During the recording, half the participants were asked to simultaneously shade in shapes on a piece of paper without attention to neatness. Participants were not told they were taking part in a memory test.

When the recording ended, all were asked for the eight

names of those attending the party as well as eight place names mentioned in the audio. Those asked to doodle wrote down, on average, 7.5 names and places, while those who didn't doodle listed only 5.8.

"In psychology, tests of memory or attention will often use

a second task to selectively block a particular mental process," Andrade said. "If that process is important for the main cognitive task, then performance will be impaired. My research shows that beneficial effects of secondary tasks, such as doodling, on concentration may offset the effects of selective blockade."

In everyday life, Andrade said, doodling "may be something

we do because it helps to keep us on track with a boring task, rather than being an unnecessary distraction that we should try to resist doing."

Doodle Analysis

Can doodles be interpreted like handwriting or dreams?
Doodles can certainly reveal something of a person’s mental state, but it should be noted that no graphologist or psychologist would use them as the sole indicator. A single isolated doodle would also have limited value. Looking at a collection of various doodles would offer the most helpful insight, especially when coupled with other information, such as handwriting analysis, dream interpretation and psychological assessment.

It must also be considered whether the inspiration for a doodle is internal or external. Is the artist expressing concern with a current situation or experience (a person causing difficulties, something on TV, or a movie they have seen) or is it a reflection of an internal state (their personality, an emotional state or conflict)?

Do all shapes have meaning?
Some shapes have a meaning that is inherent – the most basic shapes, such as circle, sun, and square might be among these – and sometimes properties, such as aggression, repetition, fluidity or neatness – will naturally carry significance in the interpretation. Some symbols have a culturally acquired meaning, such as a love-heart or Christian cross, but one that is so universally accepted as to be considered almost inherent. Some symbols have a cultural meaning that has fallen out of use or belongs to a certain realm of knowledge – this includes hobo signs, types of crosses, alchemical and scientific symbols, and astrological symbols to name a few. The presence of these symbols in a doodle might occur accidentally, or may indicate familiarity with the realm of knowledge they belong to. Note also that 'doodle' really refers to absent-minded scribblings, not concious works of art that happen to be on a scrap of paper.

Sometimes when I’m used to watch TV especially when I’m bored. I used to doodle.

REFERENCES:

Web Page:

http://health.yahoo.com/news/healthday/takenotedoodlingcanhelpmemory.html