Abstract
An attempt was made to relate the Zeigarnik effect to the broader field of learning. It was assumed that the consequence of task interruption is motivation persistence, assumed to be operative in the classic Zeigarnik situation, and that the consequence of task completion is motivation reduction, generally regarded to be operative in a learning situation. The relative influence of each of these factors on unexpected recall was assessed by comparing two recall measures for a series of problem tasks, some of which had been interrupted and some completed. The first measure was the standard recall of problem names. A clue was introduced in the context of each problem task in order to make possible the second recall measure, which involved responses in the final phase of the total problem task behavior sequence. The recall of clues made possible a more direct test of the influence of reward as a function of task completion. A total of 106 college students were unexpectedly tested for recall of 17 problem names and clues. The results indicated a reliable preferential recall of clues from completed rather than interrupted problems and a slight, but unreliable, preferential recall of problem names from completed rather than interrupted problems.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alper, T. G. Memory for completed and incompleted tasks as a function of personality: An analysis of group data. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1946, 41, 403–420.
Cohen, J. The concept of goal gradients: A review of its present status. Journal of General Psychology, 1953, 49, 303–308.
Glixman, A. F. Recall of completed and incompleted activities under varying degrees of stress. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1949, 39, 281–295.
Hull, C. L. The goal gradient hypothesis and maze learning. Psychology Review, 1932, 34, 25–44.
Lewin, K. A dynamic theory of personality. (Translated by D. K. Adams & K. E. Zener.) New York: McGraw-Hill, 1935.
Marrow, A. J. Goal tensions and recall: I. Journal of General Psychology, 1938, 19, 3–35. (a)
Marrow, A. J. Goal tensions and recall: II. Journal of General Psychology. 1938, 19, 37–64. (b)
Pachauri, A. R. A study of gestalt problems in completed and interrupted tasks. Part II. British Journal of Psychology, 1935, 25, 447–457.
Prentice, W. C. H. The interruption of tasks. Psychological review, 1944, 51, 329–340.
Rosenzweig, S. An experimental study of “repression” with special reference to need-persistive and ego-defensive reactions to frustration. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1943, 32, 64–74.
Zeigarnik, B. Das Behalten erleidigter und unerleidigter Handlungen. Psychologishe Forschungen, 1927, 9, 1–85.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The first author is now at the Computational Sciences Division, Department of the Air Force, Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas 78236. This research was supported in part by Research Career Award 1-K6-MH-22-023 from the National Institute of Mental Health and by Grant DAHC19-74-G-0008 from the U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, to the second author.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bottenberg, R.A., Marx, M.H. & Pavur, E.J. Differential recall of problem names and clues as a function of problem solution or nonsolution. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 7, 445–448 (1976). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337242
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337242