Andrade Flashcards
divided attention vs focused attention
- divided attention: trying to focus on two things at once
- focused attention: All focus is on one thing
Working memory model
suggests that we have two different types of working memory:
- vis-spatial: see & draw
- auditory: things you can hear
Aim
To see whether doodling can assist in information processing by enabling people to attend more effectively by enhancing their memory
Hypothesis
That doodling helps Pp to recall more people and places than a control condition that does not doodle.
IV
Doodling or not doodling (control)
DV
Number of correct people and places recalled
Number of participants
40 (35 female 5 male)
Age of Pp
18 - 55 years
Sample technique
Opportunity sample from volunteer sample (from general public)
Experimental design
Independant measures
Type of study
Lab experiment - self report
Recording details
- monotone voice
-227 words/minute - comfortable listening volume
- 2.5 minutes listened to
Doodling sheet details
- rows of 10
- 4.5cm margin for writing info
Operationalisation of doodling
shading in shapes on the sheet given - without worrying about neatness or speed
Places & names on the recording
- 8places
-
8 names
3 couldn’t go, 1 cat
Examples of places
- London
- Gloucester
- Harlow
Examples of names
- Jane
- Craig
- john
- william
How was counterbalancing used?
- half of Pp were asked to recall places names, then names, and vice versa
Conclusions
Doodling can aid concentration on an auditory task
Nature vs nurture
- nurture: how people have learnt growing up
- nature: our brain’s natural ability to concentrate
Psychology investigated
- daydreaming and attention (divided and focused)
Which assumption of the cognitive approach does andrade best suit?
1 - Behaviour cognitions and emotions can be explained through cognitive factors such as attention, memory, learning and thinking
generalisablity
positive:
- F and M used
- wide age range (18-55)
Negative
- uneven M and F
- small sample
reliability
Positive:
- standardised script, doodling sheets, aims, time inbetween
- All Pp similarly bored
Application
- educational settings
- psychiatric settings - distracting people from being sad :(
Validity
Positive:
- all pp recruited from prev exeriment to assure boredom
- quantitative data
- operationalised doodling
Negative:
- ecological validity
- Not all doodling is colouring in squares and circles (mundane realism)
- Potential deman characteristics if deceptio was suspected
Ethics
positive:
- debrief
- right to withdraw
Negative:
- deception used
- potential psychological harm when told to remember what they hadn’t
- effected infromed consent
