The Zeigarnik Effect
March 10th, 2006 | by Ed |Have you ever heard of the Zeigarnik Effect? The Zeigarnik Effect states that people remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones.
Russian psychologist, Bluma Zeigarnik, first studied this phenomenon after noticing that waiters seemed to remember orders only as long as the order was in the process of being served. Then, it was promptly forgotten.
Apparently, an incomplete task, or unfinished business, creates a “psychic tension” within us that motivates us toward “closure.” Once a task, a project, or a thought is completed, the brain moves it from active status to inactive status, and puts into a special memory storage compartment. The brain no longer gives the task, project or thought priority, and it goes into the “closed” file.
This explains a number of things. It explains why unfinished “To Do” items are constantly interrupting our prayers. It also explains why unresolved hurts (either because they were not communicated or because they were not forgiven) fester in our spirits and become resentments. As long as hurts remain unresolved, they remain in “active status” mode, and they keep coming into our consciousness.
It also explains why failures have such power over us. Our failures take on a life of their own because the brain remembers incomplete tasks (failures) longer than completed tasks (successes). Our failures have no closure. The brain continues to try to come up with ways to fix the mess, resolve the failure, and move it from active to inactive status.
The brain isn’t comfortable with incomplete and unfinished
3 Responses to “The Zeigarnik Effect”
By Celia Pierce on Mar 13, 2006 | Reply
This blog was very clarifying. As you yourself have been studying the brain, you have probably run across the information that the brain experiences memories without regard to time. So it is not time passing that is the key to resolving unfinished business, it is indeed the finishing of the business, however recent or distant the event that left its imprint on us. I really identify with the brain that continues to try to fix the mess and resolve the failure. That activity needs to be replaced by the very complicated and painful matter of accepting that some messes defy fixing and our failures may be with us always. This leaves me with even more appreciation for the God who removes our sins as far as the east is from the west. And then He forgets those sins. What a great God to bring closure to our sins and failures!
By Barbara Ruglio on Mar 14, 2006 | Reply
The Zeigarnik Effect is a wonderful theory and it does clarify how unfinished business, especially in relationships with other people, can keep coming up again and again.
But I could use a practical application.
How can we deal with unfinished business from long ago when we realize it is still affecting our lives now? What do we do with an old hurt, that we intended to forgive and forget, but now we discover we cannot, because it keeps coming up?
And what do we do if it seems like someone has an old hurt against us, because of how they act towards us, but they never get to talking about the real issue?
Unfinished business is a problem. The question is, how do we finish it?
By Ed Woodward on Mar 20, 2006 | Reply
The Zeigarnik Effect is an interesting observation / behavior. It explains why the chase is better than the capture. Why the anticipation is better than the realization. I suspect it is also the reason why the kangaroo and emu only being able to move forward is an attractive symbol. It points toward purpose and goals as part of our basic design. From the begining God intended for Mankind to work toward a goal and to enjoy the chalange of the effort. It is shown in Adam naming the animals, tending the garden, Noah building the Ark, his descendants building the tower of Babel, and many more. All working toward a goal. Some goals good and some evil. The tension of unfinished business is a two edged sword. It causes the pain of failures, but also provides the impetus to keep trying, as Paul said “I press toward the mark for the prize “. One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchil when as an old man he was explaining his recipe for sucess, “Never, never, never give up.” Reaching the goal may take a lifetime, but the struggle is as important as the victory.