(c) andrade Flashcards
What is doodling?
A drawing, sketch or pattern created to pass time, rather than for a specific purpose.
psychology investigated
attention and memory
What is the definition of attention?
The concentration of mental effort on a particular stimulus.
What is divided attention?
The ability to split mental effort between two or more simultaneous tasks.
What is the definition of memory?
The encoding, storage, and retrieval of information, potentially leading to long term retention.
What was the sample size and demographic of Andrade’s study?
40 individuals (35 female, 5 male), aged 18 to 55 years old.
What was the aim of Andrade’s study?
To investigate whether doodling affects or improves concentration in a (boring) task
What is incidental memory?
Information that you do not focus on but you can recall.
What are some potential effects of doodling on attention?
- May enhance concentration
- May reduce daydreaming
- May maintain optimal arousal levels
What are the two conditions used in Andrade’s study?
- Doodling condition
- Control condition
What type of sample was used in Andrade’s study?
Opportunity sample.
What was the length and content of the recorded telephone message used in the study?
2.5 minutes, 227 words per minute, containing names of partygoers and other information like places, people who aren’t going etc.
What were participants instructed to do in the doodling condition?
Shade shapes and write target words in the margin
What does attentional narrowing refer to?
Only paying attention to appropriate cues.
What were the target items participants were supposed to recall from the telephone message?
- 8 target names
- 8 place names
What was the primary activity participants engaged in during the study?
Doodling or not doodling while listening to a boring mock telephone message
What were the two main dependent variables (DVs) measured in the study?
- number of correct names - number of false alarms
- number of correct places recalled - false alarms
What was a key conclusion from Andrade’s study?
Doodling improves concentration and leads to better recall of information
What design was used in the study, independent or dependent measures?
Independent measures design
List two strengths of Andrade’s study.
- High level of control in a lab setting
- High reliability and standardization of procedures
These strengths increase confidence that the IV caused changes in the DV.
List two weaknesses of Andrade’s study.
- Low ecological validity due to the artificial doodling task
- Unrepresentative sample, mostly females from the UK
These weaknesses may limit the generalizability of the findings.
What ethical issue was present in Andrade’s study?
Participants were deceived about the memory test
What type of sample was used in Andrade’s study?
Opportunity sample
What does the independent measures design help to reduce?
Order effects
What did the researchers do to ensure participants were equally bored?
Used a visually dull room and standardised instructions
What was the main effect observed from the doodling condition?
Significantly improved performance in memory recall
(Participants in the doodling condition recalled more names and places than those in the control condition.)
