A research team from the UGM Faculty of Psychology will investigate factors that contribute to everyday cognitive failures, ranging from forgetfulness and divided attention to simple errors that can escalate into safety risks, by combining an updated self-report questionnaire with a series of mental chronometry–based cognitive tasks. This initiative places objective, standardized measurement at the core of understanding how different components of cognitive functioning work together and, at times, fail, thereby opening opportunities for more targeted interventions to support psychological well-being and daily performance.
Although often seen as minor, cognitive failures have tangible impacts on quality of life and productivity and, in certain contexts, are linked to workplace safety and mental health. Various studies show associations with anxiety, depression, and performance declines, while findings on their relationship with objective measures of cognitive function remain mixed. Addressing this knowledge gap, the study pursues two aims: first, adapting the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire 2.0 (CFQ 2.0) to the Indonesian context; second, modeling predictors of cognitive failures based on performance in cognitive tasks that assess working memory, response inhibition, attentional control, and cognitive flexibility. By integrating both approaches, the team seeks a more comprehensive picture of the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying cognitive failures and their implications for intervention.
The methodology integrates self-report and objective performance measures. CFQ 2.0 will be translated and psychometrically adapted to assess the frequency of everyday cognitive slips. In parallel, five cognitive tasks (Directed Forgetting, Stop-Signal, N-Back, Stroop, and Set Shifting) will map relevant executive function components, grounded in the core assumption of mental chronometry that response speed and accuracy reflect the efficiency of cognitive processes. In simple terms, mental chronometry measures how long it takes someone to perform specific cognitive tasks, i.e., how quickly the brain processes information. Data collection will take place at the Laboratory of Mental Processes and Behavior, involving third- and fourth-semester students who complete tasks on lab computers according to a scheduled protocol designed to minimize fatigue.
The study is led by Zulfikri Khakim, S.Psi., M.Sc., (Principal Investigator), with cross-unit collaborators Satriyo Priyo Adi, S.Psi., M.Sc., Dra. Sri Kusrohmaniah, M.Si., Ph.D., Psikolog, and Samudera Fadlilla Jamaluddin, S.Psi., M.Sc., as faculty researchers, and involving several student/alumni researchers. Aligned with the roadmap “Neural and Biological Aspects of Human Behavior” and intersecting with Psychometrics, the project targets approximately 250 participants while building a cognitive performance databank with potential for longitudinal tracking and future studies.
Expected outputs include a manuscript for an international, peer-reviewed journal (minimum Q3), coverage of SDGs-aligned activities on the Faculty/University website, and Intellectual Property (IP) for a mental chronometry–based cognitive measurement tool (Directed Forgetting Task). Furthermore, findings from this study, funded by the UGM Faculty of Psychology Research Grant 2025, are expected to offer an evidence-based framework for interventions to enhance cognitive performance among individuals with high frequencies of cognitive failures, applicable in educational, occupational, and clinical contexts. With robust analytics and a supportive laboratory ecosystem, this work underscores the UGM Faculty of Psychology’s commitment to advancing evidence-based research for mental health and cognitive functioning in society.
Writer: Raden Roro Anisa Anggi Dinda