Shock absorber with variable damping effect, particularly for vehicles

The present invention relates to a shock absorber (1a) with variable damping effect, particularly for vehicles. The shock absorber comprises a first element (2a) and a second element (3a), which is connected to the first element (2a) and can move with respect to the first element (2a), and elements for dissipating the kinetic energy of the second element (3a). In the shock absorber according to the invention, the dissipation elements comprise at least one electromagnetic brake (4a), in which the braking force can be altered appropriately in a simple and quick manner by varying the electrical power supply parameters.