- Feb 2022
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Local file Local file
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Zeigarnik effect: Open tasks tend to occupy our short-term memory –until they are done. That is why we get so easily distracted bythoughts of unfinished tasks, regardless of their importance. Butthanks to Zeigarnik’s follow-up research, we also know that we don’tactually have to finish tasks to convince our brains to stop thinkingabout them. All we have to do is to write them down in a way thatconvinces us that it will be taken care of.
The Zeigarnik effect is the idea that open or pending tasks tend to occupy our short-term memory until they are done or our brain is otherwise convinced that they're "finished". This is why note taking can be valuable. By writing down small things, we can free up our short-term or working memories to focus or work on other potentially more important tasks. It is named for Soviet psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik.
The Zeigarnik effect is some of the value behind David Allen's "Getting Things Done" system. Writing down to do lists tricks our mind into freeing up space from things we need to take care of. If they're really important, we've got a list and can then take care of them. Meanwhile our working memories are freed up for other tasks.
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- Sep 2020
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psyarxiv.com psyarxiv.com
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Sueki, H., & Ueda, M. (2020). Short-term effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal ideation: A prospective cohort study. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/3jevh
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- Aug 2020
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Jarynowski, A., & Płatek, D. (2020). Could Ramadan catalyze or inhibit SARS-CoV-2 spread? Preliminary results [Preprint]. SocArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/725dv
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- Jul 2020
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osf.io osf.io
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Payne, J. L., Morgan, A., & Piquero, A. R. (2020). COVID-19 and Social Distancing Measures in Queensland Australia Are Associated with Short-Term Decreases in Recorded Violent Crime [Preprint]. SocArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/z4m8t
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