Error cancellation

We are constantly interacting with a fast-paced world, and occasionally, our actions do not match our intentions. Whether it’s taking a wrong turn on a familiar commute, or reaching for a hot pan, everyday life is filled with errors. The ability to detect and learn from these errors is a fundamental component of human adaptability, allowing individuals to prevent similar errors in the future. 

Traditionally, research has viewed errors as completed events: discrete failures followed by compensatory adjustments on subsequent attempts. However, real-world situations often demand immediate physical correction before a mistake fully materialises. If you realise a pan is hot mid-reach, adjusting the next attempt is insufficient; you must abort the current movement instantly. Therefore, true error processing involves not just detecting mistakes after the fact, but actively intervening while the erroneous action is still ongoing.

This project investigates the dynamic nature of error processing by focusing specifically on response termination: how individuals cancel ongoing, erroneous actions. Recent results have revealed that error cancellation can occur already within 100 ms, and it may be reflected in the error-related negativity (ERN), a classic event-related potential (ERP) traditionally interpreted as signalling error detection or conflict monitoring. 

Ultimately, the project aims to uncover the cognitive mechanisms of error processing with behavioural, neuroscientific, and computational tools..   

Duration: 09/25 – 08/28
Funding: DFG – Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Contact: Sámuel Varga & Roland Pfister

Selected publications:

Foerster, A., Steinhauser, M., Schwarz, K. A., Kunde, W., & Pfister, R. (2022). Error cancellation. Royal Society Open Science, 9(3), Article 210397. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210397

Pfister, R., Foerster, A., Schwarz, K. A., Varga, S., Steinhauser, M., & Kunde, W. (2025). Error-related brain activity indicates immediate auto-cancellation of action slips. Psychophysiology, 62(10), Article e70160. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.70160

Varga, S., Khoo, J. K. M., Cousineau, D., Derrfuss, J., Danielmeier, C., & Pfister, R. (2025). Error cancellation during early task performance. Experimental Psychology, 72(6), 246–252. https://doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169/a000663