Metacognition and translation competence: A three-level meta-analytic study

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Applied Linguistics
• Translation Studies

Background:

• Existing research shows mixed findings on the relationship between metacognition and translation competence (TC).
• Divergent results may stem from overlooking moderators and interdependent effect sizes.
• A comprehensive synthesis is needed to clarify these complex interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively examine the relationship between metacognition and TC.
• To identify and analyze potential moderators influencing this relationship.
• To provide empirical evidence and a holistic perspective on metacognition's impact on TC.

Main Methods:

• A three-level meta-analysis was employed.
• Data synthesized from 23 studies, encompassing 211 effect sizes and 3017 participants.
• Included studies were of high quality, averaging 8.174 on assessment scales.

Main Results:

• Metacognition demonstrates a significant positive correlation with TC (r = 0.472).
• Several moderators, excluding participants, language family, publication year, and specific data collection methods, were statistically significant.
• These significant moderators positively influenced the metacognition-TC link.

Conclusions:

• Metacognition is a crucial factor positively influencing translation competence.
• Understanding moderating variables is key to explaining the variability in previous research findings.
• This meta-analysis offers novel empirical evidence and a unified perspective on the metacognition-TC relationship, guiding future interdisciplinary and quantitative studies.