It is called the Zeigarnik Effect, and is the tendency to remember uncompleted tasks better than completed tasks.
The Ziegarnick Effect is a psychological term that is applied to the tendency where people can remember uncompleted tasks better than completed ones. It was a concept created by Bluma Zeigarnik, a Soviet psychologist. Bluma studied the concept after Gestalt psychologist Kurt Lewin made a note of a waiter that was able to recollect unpaid orders better than the paid ones.
- Zeigarnik Effect
The Ziegarnick Effect is a psychological term that is applied to the tendency where people can remember uncompleted tasks better than completed ones. It was a concept created by Bluma Zeigarnik, a Soviet psychologist. Bluma studied the concept after Gestalt psychologist Kurt Lewin made a note of a waiter that was able to recollect unpaid orders better than the paid ones.
- Gestalt Psychology
Gestalt Psychology is a concept by Christian von Ehrenfels. He used the German word Gestalt to discuss his theory. The theory is that there are defining parts that are perceptually primary and then those that are secondary. It can also be called the Gestalt Effect wherein our senses are able to visually recognize figures and forms as a whole instead of as a part. In other words the "whole is greater than the sum of the parts."
- The Conclusion of Zeigarnik Effect
It has been thought that those who suspend their studies for a time and do unrelated activities can come back and will remember the material better than those who went through a study session without taking a break. The principle does not always work as it does depend on the cognition and brain functions of the individual, but given that many people are able to remember uncompleted tasks better it is thought that most people fall under the theory rather than not. It does also have a bit to do with perceptual effects. One usually goes over unfinished tasks in their head in order to remember them and complete them, than going over a completed task as it is considered done and filed away.
