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

By contrast, metacognition looks at how well people understand and control their cognitive processes.

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

This process of critical reflection is often called metacognition in the literature of pedagogy and psychology.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

“He was not somebody who loved delving deeply into the metacognition of a children’s book,” says her older sister, Polly Stone, a teacher and school librarian in Vermont.

From Washington Post • Jan. 25, 2021