For some people, leaving a drink unfinished feels strangely uncomfortable. They may have only a few sips left, but instead of putting the glass down, they finish it completely. It can happen with water, juice, coffee or even a drink they no longer particularly want. On the surface, this may look like nothing more than a personal habit. Psychology, however, offers a more interesting possibility: repeated preferences for completing small actions may sometimes reflect a broader attraction to completion, order and closed goals . This does not mean that everyone who empties a glass has a particular personality trait. But research on the Zeigarnik effect, goal completion, the Ovsiankina effect and need for cognitive closure provides useful clues about why unfinished things can remain psychologically noticeable.
