doodling, or ‘i told you i was paying attention’

Chris Dummire wrote an article on doodling for CreativityPortal. He offers this great bit:

The April 2010 issue of Oprah Magazine features an article by Melinda Wenner (“Imperfect Harmony”) discussing the upsides to some common “bad behaviors” like anger, procrastination, gossip, and…doodling. Wenner charts both the “old thinking” and “new wisdom” of each behavior based on research showing how these qualities may benefit us after all. In the article Bryan Gibson, PhD, a professor of social psychology at Central Michigan University is quoted: “In certain situations, what is typically a detrimental trait can turn out to be a good one.” Here’s the old thinking and new wisdom Wenner shares about doodling:

Old Thinking: “Scribbling circles on a notepad while your company’s chief inspiration officer drones on about synergy means you have trouble focusing.”

New Wisdom: “Doodling can boost your mind’s ability to notice and remember mundane information by nearly 30 percent, according to research from the University of Plymouth. The theory is that the act of drawing makes use of visuospacial processes in the brain that might otherwise be used for daydreaming, thereby preventing your mind from wandering.”

Image courtesy of Dan Paluska. Look at the big version!