On The Paradoxical Decrease Of Self-Reported Cognitive Failures With Age

Keywords

cognitive impairment; ergonomics tools and methods; human error; memory

Abstract

The science of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) often relies on self-report. This is a cause for concern because subjective methods are inherently susceptible to bias. Here, we present, examine and discuss a puzzling association between age and self-reported cognitive failures as assessed with Broadbent's Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ). Despite many well-established age-associated forms of cognitive decline, older persons actually report almost equivalent, or even less, cognitive failures on the CFQ than younger persons. Our present analysis indicates that this paradox may be resolved through the fact that people show age-related learning/adaptation/compensation and by the observation that the CFQ measures peoples' beliefs with respect to an individually idiosyncratic reference. Yet, at the heart of the paradox may be the idea that people cannot remember their own cognitive failures, pointing to even greater concerns with all forms of subjective self-report and its use in HF/E.

Publication Date

9-2-2015

Publication Title

Ergonomics

Volume

58

Issue

9

Number of Pages

1471-1486

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2015.1019937

Socpus ID

84940439289 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84940439289

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