Cognitive predictors of metacognitive accuracy

Metacognitive accuracy involves incorporating rapid in-the-moment self-assessments to discern if one's own judgments are correct/incorrect. Previous literature has alluded to relationships between metacognitive functioning and other higher domains of cognition, such as executive function. This study aimed to build on prior research by investigating the role basic cognitive domains may play in facilitating metamemory monitoring. It was hypothesized that higher levels of executive function, working memory, processing speed, and attention would predict greater performance on measures of metacognitive accuracy.

Participants (N = 105) completed a computerized paradigm involving a multi-trial word list learning task, with different words representing variable point-values. Participants later completed a recognition task. After each item, they reported retrospective confidence judgments. From these, a measure of metacognitive accuracy (meta d') was derived. Participants completed additional cognitive measures of executive function (Trails B), working memory (Backward Digit Span), processing speed (Symbol Digit Modalities Test), and attention (Trails A, Forward Digit Span).

A large percentage of the variability (R² = .386) in metacognitive accuracy was attributed to the predictors in the model, F(5, 99) = 3.457, p = .006. Backward Digit Span and Trails A predicted greater metacognitive accuracy, while Forward Digit Span showed an unexpected negative relationship.

These findings indicate that greater working memory and visual attention capacity are predictive of greater metacognitive monitoring accuracy. This suggests that more basic, fundamental cognitive processes may facilitate metamemory monitoring in healthy adults.