The human ability to comprehend and transform information into knowledge is deeply rooted in cognition. Matlin and Farmer (2019, p.2) define cognition as a mental ability that involves the “acquisition, storage, transformation, and use of knowledge.” Through cognitive skills, human beings can create thoughts, recognize things and interpret them accordingly, and act per stimuli. Therefore, cognition comprises a series of tasks that facilitate the achievement of cognitive abilities. Metacognition is a cognitive ability that involves thinking about our thought processes, and it consists in making inferences and decisions while carrying out other cognitive tasks like reading (Matlin & Farmer, 2019). However, metacognition is inaccurate, as evidenced by metamemory studies, tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon, meta-comprehension, and personal experiences.
Metacognition is not always accurate, a phenomenon that primarily depends on forming judgments. Metacognition is an active process that involves supervising how we select and use our memory strategies (Matlin & Farmer, 2019). However, various factors can influence this function, undermining its accuracy. Metacognition may not be accurate because individuals are rarely conscious of their higher mental processes (Matlin & Farmer, 2019).
Moreover, various metamemory studies have proven that accuracy in metacognition is limited. For example, the foresight bias that students are likely to commit when asked to predict the number of correct replies they can provide during a later test demonstrates limited accuracy in metacognition. Unintended effects such as tip-of-the-tongue also exhibit inaccuracy in our metacognition. For example, when one knows a word and tries to recall it but cannot remember it, it shows the inaccuracy of our metacognition (Matlin & Farmer, 2019). Overlooking missing information in a paragraph is an example of inaccurate meta-comprehension.
Personal experiences also demonstrate inaccuracies in metacognition. For example, the professor gave us an assignment that involved identifying and taking several steps to complete it successfully. I selected the appropriate strategy and applied it successfully to complete the tasks, an example of how I have previously used metacognition in my personal life. I have also needed to be more accurate in using metacognition in various events. For example, I took an online task to learn how to play chess. However, after the training I assessed myself as having completed successfully, I discovered that I had yet to grasp the basics. Therefore, I inaccurately used metacognition to assess my comprehension skills in chess.
References
Matlin, M. W. & Farmer, T. A. (Eds.). (2019). Cognition. John Wiley and Sons.