The Zeigarnik Effect: A Psychological Principle that Improves UX

Have you ever noticed that you tend to remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones? Or that you feel more motivated to complete a goal when you are closer to it? If so, you have experienced the Zeigarnik effect, one of the psychological principles that influence user experience (UX) design.

What is the Zeigarnik effect?

The Zeigarnik effect is named after Bluma Zeigarnik, a Soviet psychologist who observed that waiters in a restaurant could remember unpaid orders better than paid ones. She conducted a series of experiments to test this phenomenon and found that people tend to recall interrupted or incomplete tasks more easily than finished ones. She also found that people experience a sense of tension or discomfort when they leave a task unfinished, and a sense of relief or satisfaction when they complete it.

The Zeigarnik effect is related to the concept of closure, which is the human tendency to seek completeness and resolution in everything we perceive and do. When we encounter something that is incomplete or ambiguous, we feel curious and intrigued, but also uneasy and dissatisfied. We want to fill in the gaps and find out what happens next.

How does the Zeigarnik effect affect UX?

• Capture user attention and interest by creating curiosity gaps or cliffhangers in the content or interface, such as using animations or transitions that hint at what’s coming next.
• Increase user engagement and retention by breaking down complex or lengthy tasks into smaller and manageable steps, using progress bars, checklists, or gamification elements that show users how far they have come.
• Enhance user satisfaction and loyalty by providing clear feedback and rewards for completing tasks or goals.

Examples of web design and development that use the Zeigarnik effect

• Netflix: shows previews of the next episode at the end of each one, creating a sense of anticipation and urgency, with a countdown timer that automatically plays the next episode.
• Duolingo: divides each lesson into bite-sized chunks that are easy to complete and track, with a streak feature that shows how many days in a row users have practiced.
• LinkedIn: shows users a progress bar that indicates how much of their profile they have filled out, creating a sense of incompleteness and urgency.

Conclusion

The Zeigarnik effect is a powerful psychological principle that can help UX designers create more engaging and effective web design and development. By understanding how users remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones, and how they seek closure and resolution in everything they do, UX designers can capture user attention, increase user engagement, and enhance user satisfaction.

Bibliography

[1] B. W. Zeigarnik, “On Finished And Unfinished Tasks,” Psychologische Forschung 9 (1927): 1–85.

[2] J. Yablonski, Laws Of UX: Using Psychology To Design Better Products & Services (Sebastopol: O’Reilly Media Inc., 2020).