Metacognition (met-uh-kog-NISH-un)
Category:
Mind & Self
Origin
Coined in modern psychology from meta- “beyond, about, at a higher level” + cognition “the process of knowing or thinking.” The concept is especially associated with American developmental psychologist John H. Flavell, whose work in the 1970s helped establish metacognition as a major area of psychological research.
Language Root
Greek-derived meta- “beyond, after, about itself” + Latin cognitio “knowledge, recognition,” from cognoscere “to get to know, recognize.”
Original Meaning
Knowledge and awareness of one’s own cognitive processes — essentially, thinking about thinking.
Evolution Over Time
Researchers studying memory, learning, and child development began examining not only how people think, but how well they understand and regulate their own thinking. Metacognition grew to encompass both metacognitive knowledge—knowing how your mind works—and metacognitive regulation—monitoring and adjusting strategies for learning, reasoning, remembering, and problem-solving.
Modern Usage
The ability to become aware of, evaluate, and regulate your own thinking. It can involve recognizing what you know and don’t know, noticing mistakes or biases, choosing better learning strategies, and changing your approach when something isn’t working.
Word Family
Metacognition, Metacognitive, Cognition, Cognitive, Cognitively
Related Concept
Thinking About Thinking, Self-Awareness, Consciousness, Introspection, Critical Thinking, Learning, Memory, Problem-Solving, Decision-Making, Cognitive Bias, Self-Regulation, John H. Flavell
Narrative
Your brain can solve a problem. But it can also do something remarkable: notice how it is trying to solve the problem. That second layer is metacognition. You might realize you don’t truly understand something, notice that emotion is influencing a decision, or recognize that your study method isn’t working and choose another one. Metacognition is more than simply thinking—it is turning your attention back onto the thinking process itself. This is why it plays such an important role in learning, self-awareness, decision-making, and critical thinking. It is sometimes described popularly as a “higher form of intelligence,” but science does not establish it as the single highest form of intelligence.