Named after Lithuanian-Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, in psychology, the Zeigarnik effect occurs when an activity that has been interrupted may be more readily recalled. It postulates that people remember unfinished or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks.

The Zeigarnik effect has been demonstrated in a variety of settings and across different age groups. Studies have shown that people are better able to remember incomplete tasks, items on a to-do list, and unfinished stories. The effect has been attributed to a number of cognitive processes, including the need for closure and a focus on the goal of completing the task.

The Zeigarnik effect has been used to explain a variety of real-world phenomena, such as why people are more likely to remember an interrupted conversation than one that they have completed. The effect has also been used to understand why people are more likely to procrastinate on tasks that they find difficult or unpleasant.