Abstract
The hypothesis that everyday cognitive failures are associated over individuals with levels of focused-attention performance was examined in a series of experiments. Everyday cognitive failure was assessed by the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, and focused-attention performance was assessed using the Stroop, reverse Stroop, and dichotic-listening paradigms, together with the Embedded Figures Test. No reliable association between the two types of measure was observed. In addition, questionnaire results indicated a significant relation between reported cognitive failure and memory performance (using the Short Inventory of Memory Experiences and the Everyday Memory Questionnaire) but not attentional performance (using the Everyday Attention Questionnaire).
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The author is grateful to Sara M. Dickson for testing the subjects in Experiments 1-5 and in the first group of Experiment 6, to Johanna C. Ward and Gregory V. Jones for testing the second and third groups, respectively, of Experiment 6, and to the Science and Engineering Research Council and the Medical Research Council for their support of the research.
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Martin, M. Cognitive failure: Everyday and laboratory performance. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 21, 97–100 (1983). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329964
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329964