Bluma Zeigarnik
Encyclopedia
Bluma Wulfovna Zeigarnik (9 November 1901 − 24 February 1988) was a Soviet psychologist
and psychiatrist
, a member of Berlin School of experimental psychology and Vygotsky Circle
. Discovered the so-called Zeigarnik effect and contributed to the establishment of experimental psychopathology
as a separate discipline in the Soviet Union in the after-WWII period.
, Zeigarnik matriculated from the Berlin University in 1927. She described the Zeigarnik effect in a diploma prepared under the supervision of Kurt Lewin
. In the 1930s, she worked with Lev Vygotsky
at the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine (AUIEM, aka VIEM). During World War II
, she assisted Alexander Luria
in repairing head injuries. She was a co-founder of the Moscow State University
Department of Psychology
and the All-Russian Seminars in Psychopathology. She died in Moscow
at the age of 87.
Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik first studied the phenomenon after her professor, Gestalt psychologist Kurt Lewin, noticed that a waiter had better recollections of still unpaid orders.
However, several replication studies of Zeigarniks experiment, done later in other countries, failed to find significant differences in recall between finished and unfinished (interrupted) tasks (e.g. Van Bergen, 1968).
In Gestalt psychology, the Zeigarnik effect has been used to demonstrate the general presence of Gestalt phenomena: not just appearing as perceptual effects, but also present in cognition.
The Zeigarnik effect suggests that students who suspend their study, during which they do unrelated activities (such as studying unrelated subjects or playing games), will remember material better than students who complete study sessions without a break (Zeigarnik, 1927; McKinney 1935).
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
and psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, a member of Berlin School of experimental psychology and Vygotsky Circle
Vygotsky Circle
Vygotsky Circle - an informal personal network of scholars associated with Lev Vygotsky and Alexander Luria active in 1920-early 1940s in the Soviet Union...
. Discovered the so-called Zeigarnik effect and contributed to the establishment of experimental psychopathology
Psychopathology
Psychopathology is the study of mental illness, mental distress, and abnormal/maladaptive behavior. The term is most commonly used within psychiatry where pathology refers to disease processes...
as a separate discipline in the Soviet Union in the after-WWII period.
Life and career
Born into a Jewish family in PrienaiPrienai
Prienai is a city in Lithuania situated on the Neman River, south of Kaunas. In 2001 the city had 11,353 inhabitants. The name of the city is a derivative from a surname Prienas. Pociūnai Airport is associated with the city.-History:...
, Zeigarnik matriculated from the Berlin University in 1927. She described the Zeigarnik effect in a diploma prepared under the supervision of Kurt Lewin
Kurt Lewin
Kurt Zadek Lewin was a German-American psychologist, known as one of the modern pioneers of social, organizational, and applied psychology....
. In the 1930s, she worked with Lev Vygotsky
Lev Vygotsky
Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky was a Soviet psychologist, the founder of cultural-historical psychology, and the leader of the Vygotsky Circle.-Biography:...
at the All-Union Institute of Experimental Medicine (AUIEM, aka VIEM). During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she assisted Alexander Luria
Alexander Luria
Alexander Romanovich Luria was a famous Soviet neuropsychologist and developmental psychologist. He was one of the founders of neuropsychology and the jointly led the Vygotsky Circle.- Biography :...
in repairing head injuries. She was a co-founder of the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
Department of Psychology
MSU Department of Psychology
MSU Faculty of Psychology is a faculty of the Moscow State University, which was established in 1966 and headed by Aleksey Leontyev until his death in 1979....
and the All-Russian Seminars in Psychopathology. She died in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
at the age of 87.
The Zeigarnik Effect
In psychology, the Zeigarnik effect states that people remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed tasks.Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik first studied the phenomenon after her professor, Gestalt psychologist Kurt Lewin, noticed that a waiter had better recollections of still unpaid orders.
However, several replication studies of Zeigarniks experiment, done later in other countries, failed to find significant differences in recall between finished and unfinished (interrupted) tasks (e.g. Van Bergen, 1968).
In Gestalt psychology, the Zeigarnik effect has been used to demonstrate the general presence of Gestalt phenomena: not just appearing as perceptual effects, but also present in cognition.
The Zeigarnik effect suggests that students who suspend their study, during which they do unrelated activities (such as studying unrelated subjects or playing games), will remember material better than students who complete study sessions without a break (Zeigarnik, 1927; McKinney 1935).