4. Andrade (2010) - Cognitive Approach

Question 1

Psychology being investigated in Andrade’s experiment

Answer 1

We preform less well when our attention is divided between tasks
however doodling might aid concentration
–> maintain arousal as we are doing something physical while thinking

Question 2

Example of divided attention

Answer 2

ability to split mental effort between two or more simultaneous tasks
eg: driving a car and talking to a passenger

Question 3

Aim of Andrade’s experiment

Answer 3

To find out whether doodling assisted information processing by increasing attentiveness or by enhancing memory.

Question 4

Doodling

Answer 4

sketching patterns or figures that are unrelated to the primary task

Question 5

Research method (2)

Answer 5

Lab experiment
Independent measures design (as there was a control group

Question 6

Sample (4)

Answer 6

1. 40 participants who were members of the Medical Research Council of the Applied Psychology Unit were chosen through the method of opportunity sampling.
2. They were aged 18-55 years, mostly women
3. In each experimental condition, there were 20 participants.
4. They had just completed participating in a study and were about to go home when they were asked if they could spare 5 minutes in Andrade’s study

Question 7

Procedure of Andrade’s experiment (6)

Answer 7

1. All participants listened to a dull telephone call about a party for 2.5 minutes, at a recorded speed of 227wpm (words per minute).
2. Participants were told that they would be tested on the names of the partygoers — Monitoring task. There was a surprise task where they were tested on the names of places mentioned — Recall task.
3. The order of tests were counterbalanced to reduce order effects.
4. The final score was the number of correct names minus the number of false alarms.
5. A4 sheets were given to participants in the doodle group with alternating rows of squares and circles, ten per row. It had a wide margin on the left to record targeted information. Participants were asked to shade while listening to relieve boredom. Participants in the control group were given a lined paper.
6. Surprise test –> recalling names of places and people

Question 8

IV or andrade’s study

Answer 8

whether they doodled or not

Question 9

DV of andrade’s study

Answer 9

Recall

Question 10

Andrade’s call

Answer 10

The call had 8 names of partygoers, and 3 people and a cat who didn’t attend. 8 place names were mentioned.

Question 11

Results of andrade’s experiment (4)

Answer 11

1. Doodle group — mean no. of shapes shaded was 36.3 from a range of 3-110. No participants in the control group spontaneously doodled.
2. Control group –mean of 7.1 names
3. Doodling group – mean of 7.8 names (less false alarms than the control group)
4. doodling participants recalled a mean of 7.5 names and places 29% more than the mean of 5.8 of the control group

Question 12

Conclusions drawn from Andrade’s experiment

Answer 12

1. Doodling helps concentration on a primary task as doodling participants performed better than participants who only listened to the primary task.
2. The Doodle group performed better on both tasks. There are 2 possible explanations:
   i) either doodling affected attention or,
   ii) doodling improved memory by encouraging deeper information processing.

Question 13

Strengths of Andrade’s experiment (6)

Answer 13

1. Extraneous variables could be controlled as it was a lab experiment. For example, people listened at a comfortable volume so there were no differences in stress on words
2. The standardized procedure made all participants equally likely to be bored and therefore daydream. For example, the same monotonous recording was used and all participants were sat in a dull quiet room. This improves validity as differences in results were due to doodling or not. There is high reliability as all participants were similarly bored.
3. The operationalization of doodling was standardised by using the doodling sheets and this increases validity.
4. The dependent variable had been operationalised in terms of false alarms and score calculation.
5. Participants’ age ranged from 18-55 years thus, were representative.
6. The study collected quantitative data, the number of names and places. This is an objective record of memory. It would have had been helpful to ask participants for self-reports of any daydreaming to understand whether differences in results were due to attention or daydreaming.

Question 14

Weakness of Andrade’s experiment (3)

Answer 14

1. Sample: they are from a recruitment panel and may be very similar. For example, they all may be interested in psychology. This could bias the sample and, therefore lower validity. Further, most of the participants were females.
2. Too easy - ceiling effect –> could have included more names \
3. it would have been helpful to ask participants for self-reports of any daydreaming to understand whether differences in results were due to attention or daydreaming.