<p><strong>Introduction:</strong></p>
<p>Revisiting an <a href="https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/5021/why-do-certain-activities-seem-to-co-occur-with-well-learnt-skills">earlier theme</a> about &quot;mind complementary activities&quot;, as I would call them, it dawned on me that the classical example of how doodling on paper complements talking over the phone, is not valid in the broader case of talking with someone in person.</p>
<p>Only guess of mine is that the act of holding the phone device may possibly play a role. But then, I feel an urge to doodle when talking over an online messenger, with a headset, as well.</p>
<p>Another consideration is the question to what extent the reverse order of activities comes natural - that is, feeling eager to talk with someone over the phone while doodling. I can remember that art classes in school did make us all students want to chat with each other, but this is not exactly same desire of talking over the phone. I think this is an important detail, feeling how compulsive the desire to doodle can be, as soon as you start a conversation over the phone.</p>
<p><strong>Question:</strong></p>
<p>Why do we feel inclined to doodle on paper when talking over the phone but not when talking in person?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-23T10:20:23.343Z
I have  more expertise computer science than in psychology so I do not have exact references ( :( ), but I seem to recall references in psychology textbooks about part of the brains searching for stimulus when deprived (e.g. hallucinations in a sense deprivation box). I will be curious to see if someone with a better background than us in psychology can point out such references!
J.y B.y
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-25T22:02:19.240Z
Because you only have the voice of the person to focus on which is exhausting for the Brain so doodling helps break the single focus. In person you can also look at body language and facial expressions so you can focus on these things as well as what he person is saying.
user34301
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-26T18:19:24.147Z
@user34301 - if that is the case, why is it exactly doodling that feel so natural to do and not something else, e.g. scratching our heads or jumping, or whatever?
drabsv
<cognitive-psychology><cognitive-neuroscience><brain><motor>
Why do we feel inclined to doodle on paper when talking over the phone but not when talking in person?
drabsv
# Why do we feel inclined to doodle on paper when talking over the phone but not when talking in person?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-22)

**Introduction:**

Revisiting an [earlier theme](https://psychology.stackexchange.com/questions/5021/why-do-certain-activities-seem-to-co-occur-with-well-learnt-skills) about "mind complementary activities", as I would call them, it dawned on me that the classical example of how doodling on paper complements talking over the phone, is not valid in the broader case of talking with someone in person.

Only guess of mine is that the act of holding the phone device may possibly play a role. But then, I feel an urge to doodle when talking over an online messenger, with a headset, as well.

Another consideration is the question to what extent the reverse order of activities comes natural - that is, feeling eager to talk with someone over the phone while doodling. I can remember that art classes in school did make us all students want to chat with each other, but this is not exactly same desire of talking over the phone. I think this is an important detail, feeling how compulsive the desire to doodle can be, as soon as you start a conversation over the phone.

**Question:**

Why do we feel inclined to doodle on paper when talking over the phone but not when talking in person?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, cognitive-neuroscience, brain, motor

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I have  more expertise computer science than in psychology so I do not have exact references ( :( ), but I seem to recall references in psychology textbooks about part of the brains searching for stimulus when deprived (e.g. hallucinations in a sense deprivation box). I will be curious to see if someone with a better background than us in psychology can point out such references!  
> **username_2**: Because you only have the voice of the person to focus on which is exhausting for the Brain so doodling helps break the single focus. In person you can also look at body language and facial expressions so you can focus on these things as well as what he person is saying.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 - if that is the case, why is it exactly doodling that feel so natural to do and not something else, e.g. scratching our heads or jumping, or whatever?  

---

## 0 answers

