Suggestibility is where memory is distorted due to newer and/or misleading information (Ettinger, 2018). I think that this concept of implanting false memories through suggestion, might not be so recent of an idea despite the Ted Talk with psychologist Elizabeth Loftus speaking on seemingly modern events (Loftus, 2013). I am going to veer off onto a different perspective. People have been influencing others with the power of suggestion for at least the length of my life and probably much, much, longer before. I have seen parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, clergy, and others suggest and sway the thoughts and emotions of those who trust them. I have discussed this previously, specifically with the state of dependency and flashbulb memories, and how our thoughts and emotions can affect how we store our memories, whether perceived by us as being a good or a bad memory at any particular time (Ettinger, 2018).

When a child is injured or sick, a parent or other adult might downplay the event by using wording such as “it’s not that bad”, “it could have been a lot worse” or “this is nothing” in order to not upset the child. However, these phrases might actually be causing the child to reprogram their thoughts to what an injury should feel like or even their tolerance to pain. Changing the perspective can change how the memories are encoded. These examples could be debated as good or bad depending upon the individual and their unique circumstances. For example, I broke my collarbone at a very young age, where I did not really remember the injury. When I was old enough to remember my parents told me how I was in pain and unable to grab with my right arm. This seemed somewhat traumatic to revisit when I was young, but years later my parents shared that due to my right arm being injured, I turned out to be left-handed. At this time, left-handedness was considered somewhat odd, or unique but also kind of special. Learning of this fact changed my memory of what my collarbone injury was in my mind, for the better.

My point here is that not only can others sway our thoughts and emotions, leading to our memories being considered as a favorable or unfavorable memory, but we can also change them ourselves. I have worked with many people over my years as a martial arts and self-defense instructor, that had suffered trauma from being injured or assaulted by others. Some of these people were able to not change their memory but rather change their perspective of the memory. This was accomplished by working with them through the memory of the event and how they dealt with the event at the time compared to how they might in the future. With gaining increased knowledge, awareness, and other strengths and skills, some people can change how memories affect them, whether for the better or for the worse.

References:

Ettinger, R. H. (2018). Psychology: The science of behavior (6th ed.). Redding, CA: BVT Publishing

Loftus, E. (2013, September 23). How reliable is your memory? TED Talks. Retrieved October 20, 2022, from https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_loftus_how_reliable_is_your_memory?language=en

Walsh, C. (2017, December 12). CogBlog – a cognitive psychology blog » Pay attention! Divided attention impairs memory processes. https://web.colby.edu/cogblog/2017/12/12/pay-attention-divided-attention-impairs-memory-processes/

Perera, A. (2023). False Memory In Psychology: Examples & More. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/false-memory.html

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group, might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide spectrum of topics relative to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing more of my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through building a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

The Zeigarnik Effect is a psychological phenomenon discovered by Lithuanian-Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik. It describes the tendency for people to remember unfinished tasks more vividly than completed ones. This effect arises because incomplete tasks generate a state of mental tension and mild cognitive dissonance, enhancing recall ability. Once a task is completed, this tension dissipates, and details gradually fade from memory.

Several factors can amplify the Zeigarnik Effect, such as the perceived difficulty of a task, an individual’s drive or ambition, task engagement, and proximity to completion. This effect can be harnessed to improve memory retention, enhance productivity, engage audiences, or even aid in recalling people’s names. For instance, individuals often remember ongoing projects or partially finished tasks more readily than completed ones.

Positive Applications and Modern Use

The Zeigarnik Effect can be a powerful tool for boosting productivity and maintaining motivation. For instance, to-do lists have become a popular method for leveraging this effect. When people see tasks that aren’t yet crossed off, they’re more likely to feel a psychological pull to complete them. Modern task management apps also rely on this principle, where unchecked boxes serve as gentle reminders that something is left undone, encouraging users to finish their lists.

Similarly, Apple Watches use the concept of “closing the rings” to motivate users toward daily goals. By visualizing physical activity through rings that need to be closed, the watch creates an incentive to finish tasks (such as standing, moving, or exercising) and promotes consistency. This concept reinforces the Zeigarnik Effect by keeping users aware of unfinished goals and making task completion visually rewarding.

Incremental Teaching Techniques

In educational settings, many instructors use incremental teaching strategies that encourage students to keep progressing through a course. By breaking lessons into smaller, manageable steps, teachers create a continuous sense of “incomplete tasks” that keeps students engaged without overwhelming them. Each small achievement provides a sense of accomplishment while still presenting another step to tackle. This method aligns well with the Zeigarnik Effect, as the feeling of “not quite being done” nudges students to complete the next part of the material. I can relate having experienced this effect many times throughout my martial arts training, spanning over 4o years. When my peers and were first introduced to a particular form (a deliberate sequence of exercises), we most often would only learn a few steps of the overall sequence. Parts of this was because the exercises were usually quite complex not only in the static positioning of the body but also in the elaborate transitions from one exercise to the next. Learning a chunk (chunking, in one of my other posts on memory retention) was a time-proven method to help memorize the sequences. When we learned the whole set, we were ready to move onto the next or different set to follow.

Potential Drawbacks

While the Zeigarnik Effect can be beneficial, there are downsides. The constant mental reminder of incomplete tasks can lead to stress, cognitive overload, and even procrastination if the list feels too daunting. Individuals who struggle with a high number of unfinished projects may find themselves avoiding tasks instead of completing them. Understanding how to balance the effect—by setting achievable goals and taking breaks when needed—can help in maximizing its benefits while minimizing stress.

In summary, the Zeigarnik Effect remains a relevant psychological principle with applications in productivity tools, wearable tech, and educational approaches. By understanding this effect, we can better harness its potential to improve focus and task completion while recognizing and managing any drawbacks it may bring.

I teach and offer lectures about holistic health, physical fitness, stress management, human behavior, meditation, phytotherapy (herbs), music for healing, self-massage (acupressure), Daoyin (yoga), qigong, tai chi, and baguazhang.

Please contact me if you, your business, organization, or group might be interested in hosting me to speak on a wide range of topics related to better health, fitness, and well-being.

I look forward to further sharing my message by partnering with hospitals, wellness centers, VA centers, schools on all levels, businesses, and individuals who see the value in building a stronger nation through a healthier population.

I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures, and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises

Many of my publications can be found on Amazon at:

http://www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan

My holistic health blog is available at:

https://mindandbodyexercises.wordpress.com/

http://www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan