The Influence of Anxiety on Cognitive Failures among Cognitive Science Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Anxiety is a common psychological concern among university students and may be associated with difficulties in everyday cognitive functioning. However, limited empirical evidence is available on the relationship between anxiety and cognitive failures among Malaysian undergraduate students. This study examined the relationship between anxiety scores and cognitive failure scores among Cognitive Science undergraduate students at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. It also compared cognitive failure scores by gender and examined differences in anxiety and cognitive failure scores across year of study. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed. A total of 120 respondents were recruited through convenience sampling and completed an online questionnaire consisting of demographic items, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), and The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire 2.0 (CFQ-2.0). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson’s correlation, an independent-samples t-test, and one-way analysis of variance. Both instruments demonstrated good internal consistency in the present sample. The findings showed a significant positive relationship between anxiety scores and cognitive failure scores, r(118) = .686, p < .001. However, cognitive failure scores did not differ significantly between male and female respondents, t(118) = 1.304, p = .195. No significant differences were found in anxiety scores, F(2, 117) = 2.736, p = .069, or cognitive failure scores, F(2, 117) = 1.717, p = .184, across year of study. Overall, higher anxiety scores were associated with more frequent reported cognitive failures, while gender and year of study did not significantly differentiate the scores examined. These findings provide additional local evidence and highlight the importance of considering anxiety when understanding and supporting students’ everyday cognitive difficulties.