This isn’t a recent study, but I just learned about it from a discussion I’ve been following on a listserv.  Apparently, a researcher observed that when “asked to remember names they’d heard on a recording, people who doodled while listening had better recall than those who didn’t.”  The two articles below discuss these findings and also share more of the methods used in the study.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/02/doodlerecall/

http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/print.html?article_id=49122

In the first of the two articles, it is noted that “doodling” consisted of shading in shapes on a piece of paper while listening to a recording.  Interestingly, near the top of this article, there is a graphic that shows some “doodles” that are far more elaborate than merely shading different shapes.  I tend to think of “doodling” as involving drawing, not shading, although I suppose there are various forms of “doodling.”  I wonder if other kinds of doodles would also boost memory.  You’d think the more elaborate the doodles, the LESS you’d be able to pay attention to other things.