Zeigarnik Effect and Memory. How does it work?

Short-term memory is limited in both capacity and duration. Typically, we can only manage to retain so many things in memory, and even then we need to keep rehearsing the information in order to hold on to it. This requires quite a bit of mental effort. Not surprisingly, the more you are trying to keep in your memory for the short-term, the harder you have to work to get it to stay put.

Waiters, for example, have to remember a lot of details about the tables they are serving. Information about what people ordered as well as what they are drinking needs to remain in their memory until the customers have finished their meals. 

To deal with this overload of data, people often rely on a number of mental tricks that allow them to better remember a great deal of information. The Zeigarnik effect is one example of this. We hold on to this information in the short-term by constantly pulling it back into awareness. By thinking of uncompleted tasks often, we better remember them until they are complete.

How to Make the Most of It

Overcome Procrastination

Oftentimes, we put off tasks until the last moment, only completing them in a frenzied rush at the last possible moment in order to meet a deadline. Unfortunately, this tendency can not only lead to a great deal of stress, but it can also result in poor performance.

One way to overcome procrastination is to put the Zeigarnik effect to work. Start by taking the first step, no matter how small. Once you've begun—but not finished—your work, you will find yourself thinking of the task until, at last, you finish it. You might not finish it all at once, but each small step you take puts you closer to your final goal.

This approach can not only help motivate you to finish, but it can also lead to a sense of accomplishment once you finally finish a job and are able to apply your mental energies elsewhere.

Get More Out of Your Study Sessions

If you are studying for an exam, break up your study sessions rather than try to cram it all in the night before the test. By studying information in increments, you will be more likely to remember it until test day.

If you are struggling to memorize something important, momentary interruptions might actually work to your advantage. Rather than simply repeat the information over and over again, review it a few times and then take a break. While you are focusing on other things, you will find yourself mentally returning to the information you were studying.

Generate Interest and Attention

Advertisers and marketers also utilize the Zeigarnik effect to encourage consumers to purchase products. Filmmakers, for example, create movie trailers designed to attract attention by leaving out critical details. They draw the viewers' attention but leave people wanting more. In order to obtain all the details, people must then venture out to the box office or buy the movie once it comes out on home release.

Television programs also make use of this strategy. Episodes often end during a moment of high action, leaving the fate of characters or the outcome of the situation unresolved. In order to resolve the tension created by such cliffhanger endings, viewers have to remember to tune in for the next episode to find out what happens.

Promote Mental Well-Being

As you might imagine, the Zeigarnik effect is not necessarily always beneficial. When you fail to complete tasks, they can prey on your mind, intruding on your thoughts and creating stress. These invasive thoughts can lead to feelings of anxiety and contribute to sleep disturbances.

However, the effect can also play a role in overcoming such difficulties. Repeated thoughts can motivate people to finish the tasks they have started. Completing these tasks can then lead to feelings of accomplishment, self-esteem, and self-confidence.

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