Zeigarnik effect in relation of formality of situation in tasks solving and subject's emotional stability

Horvat, Karolina. (2012). Zeigarnik effect in relation of formality of situation in tasks solving and subject's emotional stability. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Ivanec, Dragutin].

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of formality of instruction during solving tasks and the degree of participants' emotional stability, on Zeigarnik effect, i.e. better recall of uncompleted tasks. The sample consisted of 139 subjects, first and second year psychology students. The design of the present study is quasi experimental, with four independent groups of subjects. To examine Zeigarnik effect, we created a Test of anagrams where one half of the tasks was solvable while the other was not. One of the examined variables is formality of situation, varied by two different instructions. The participants in the formal group were told that the test they were taking was measuring their intelligence and that the purpose of the study is to determine their predictive validity for the success in studying psychology. In the informal group, the participants were told that a preliminary research of a new test was in question, and that the aim of the research was to verify the difficulty and the adequacy of the tasks. There were no significant statistical differences in the differential recall between the formal and informal situation. In both situations, a reversed Zeigarnik effect was obtained, i.e. better recall of completed tasks, which is only partially in accordance with our hypothesis. With regard to our second variable, the emotional stability, there were no significant differences either. However, apparent trends which are in compliance with our expectations and which, more extreme groups being taken into consideration, additionally intensify, have been observed.

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