metacognition

American  

[met-uh-kog-nish-uhn] / ˌmɛt ə kɒgˈnɪʃ ən /

noun

Psychology.

1. higher-order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes, especially when engaged in learning.

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metacognition British  

/ ˌmɛtəkɒɡˈnɪʃən /

noun

1. psychol thinking about one's own mental processes

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Other Word Forms

• metacognitive adjective

Etymology

Origin of metacognition

First recorded in 1975–80; meta- + cognition

Explanation

Whenever you think about the thoughts that you're thinking, that's metacognition. Metacognition can be a useful way to work through difficult experiences, by reflecting on what's going through your head. This word is formed by adding meta-, or "above," to cognition, which means "thinking." Rather than simply having a thought, metacognition involves mulling it over and putting it into context with your previous patterns of thought. Understanding why you think the way you do, and how those thoughts make you feel and act, are part of metacognition. Try using metacognition the next time you're worried about something! Examining your thoughts more closely just might make you feel better.

Example Sentences

The twins were asked to perform tasks related to metacognition.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2024

"Our study may be the first to demonstrate that a different kind of cognitive ability, known as metacognition and mentalizing, might be much more influenced by environment."

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2024

When I did my PhD, I was interested in metacognition in Alzheimer's disease.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2023

To respond to strong emotions, use the tools of metacognition to reflect on the source of those emotions and attempt to manage them.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

But here’s the magic: Each time we notice that our mind has changed the channel, we are having a moment of metacognition.

From Washington Post • Mar. 20, 2020