The Zeigarnik Effect refers to memories of tasks. According to this, memories of interrupted, unfinished tasks are stronger than memories of completed, finished tasks. Surprisingly, this effect also occurs when less time was actually spent on the interrupted tasks. According to Kurt Lewin's field theory, a specific internal tension arises at the beginning of a task, which is maintained by the interruption and thus increases the cognitive accessibility of the relevant content.

Origin

This effect was first discovered experimentally in 1927 by the Russian psychologist Bljuma Wulfowna Zeigarnik at the University of Berlin; her research showed that actions that were started but not completed remain in the memory longer and more accurately.

  • Zeigarnik, B. (1927). On the retention of completed and unfinished actions. Psychological Research, 9(1), 1–85.

Application in UX and UI design

In UX and UI design, the Zeigarnik Effect can be used to make users aware of unfinished steps or partial results. One example is a progress bar during onboarding or in an ordering process that deliberately shows that individual steps are still outstanding. This 'open loop' subtly motivates users to complete the process rather than simply abandoning it.

However, when designing it, it is important to bear in mind that too many simultaneous 'construction sites' can tend to lead to frustration. If the effect is used in a targeted manner, however, it can significantly contribute to user retention, since people are inclined to bring open actions to a conclusion.

A concrete example can be found in online forms: if the last step in a multi-stage registration process is visible but not yet completed, people tend to finish the process to resolve the feeling of Cognitive Dissonance.

Impact on the User Experience

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Further information