There is much controversy among psychologists as to why people doodle. Many suggest that during a negotiation should a party begin to doodle, his interest is waning. He is expressing that he prefers not to communicate with his counterpart. They go on to say that because the doodler actually has much praise for his creative work, this further lessens direct contact. Other analysts suggest the doodler is actually bored and because of this, wants to be elsewhere, hence he starts to doodle. Regardless as to why one might doodle, the following doodles have been agreed upon as to what they mean:

• Disclosing heavy and angular strokes shows repressed feelings of anger.
• Airy and rounded rhythmic strokes reveal a desire to escape from reality.
• A monogram or similar design testifies to one who is egotistical.
• A design repeated many times indicates frustration.
• Squares or other geometric designs signify a practical nature.
• Heavy-pressured strokes an obsessive nature.
• Light-pressured strokes betoken a weak will.
• Odd shapes or designs display a neurotic or pathological weakness related to an inability to communicate properly with others.

• An arrow or arrows demonstrate one calculating, perhaps being cool temperamentally.
• A separate square or squares disclose the practical.
• Geometrically linked squares reveal having concrete, practical concepts.
• The tightly drawn whirl testifies to being tense, anxious.
• Three-dimensional forms display having a probing intellect.
• Sharp, jagged lines expose resentment, even hostility. These doodles are often done during arguments.
• A triangle betokens having a strong, well-directed mind in adults, exceptional intelligence in children under six.
• A circle discloses closing up, warding off the outside world.
• Steps and ladders indicate the desire to climb up in the world.
• A spiders web design, discloses one preoccupied with self but seeking to widen horizons.
• Random helter skelter figures without clear-cut patterns are indicative of one being prone to emotional conflict, confused in personality.
• Tick marks betoken one concentrating on business at hand.
• Short confused dashes display the dynamic, colorful, forceful, creative, restless personality.
• Jagged lines betoken one aggressive and defensive.
• A figure in a frame tells of one believing in safety first.
• An over-involved design, entangled lines going in complete disorder demonstrates being shrewd, diplomatic, and afraid of persecution.
• Crossbars show one who is instinctively rebellious, pugnacious.
• Linked circles reveal a logical, deductive, consequential character.
• The spider’s web without links discloses one who is systematic, analytical, and able to organize.
• Animal doodlers are usually nature lovers, depending upon the type of animal drawn
• Hidden and not so hidden hostilities are shown in doodles. Weapons,
• vicious animals and hanging men show the doodler’s true thoughts. One who doodles a house shows whether or not the doodler wants to intercommunicate. If the house has no doors or windows, the doodler is aloof.
• If there is a doorway and a doorknob, the doodler wants company.
• If there is smoke coming out of the chimney, this is a warm active home.
• Small vertical lines that have on their sides horizontal lines that are surrounded by a large blank area, which may be parallel or met at right angles, disclose introversion, one who feels victimized by the overbearing world and seeks to flee.
• Rounded cloud-like shapes, their curves lying within each other, display your sensitivity to the needs of others, and that you are pliable, even in difficult situations. In addition, some daydreaming may be expected.
• When a vehicle of transportation is doodled, particularly a boat, train or plane, though this shows a desire to travel, it often shows an underlying feeling of anxiety that you believe ought to be changed, hence the desire to go elsewhere.