Simple drawings or scribbles made absent-mindedly, often while thinking about something else or during idle moments.
From German dudeltopf meaning 'simpleton' (literally 'bagpipe-head'), originally applied to foolish people. The drawing sense emerged in the 1930s, perhaps from the idea of mindless, foolish activity.
Doodles represent one of humanity's most universal forms of unconscious creativity - these absent-minded marks reveal our minds at work when we think we're not paying attention. Research has shown that doodling actually helps concentration and memory retention, proving that what was once dismissed as 'foolish scribbling' is actually a sophisticated cognitive tool.
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