Metacognitive and frontal lobe processes: at the interface of cognitive psychology and neuropsychology

During the past several decades, research in both cognitive psychology and neuropsychology has become increasingly concerned with the processes that monitor and control human cognition. In the area of cognitive psychology, this research has focused on metacognition or metacognitive processes, and in the area of neuropsychology, it has focused on frontal lobe processes. It is evident that both areas have been referring to very similar concepts, with some variations, but with notably little acknowledgement of each other. The principal purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis of the main research within each of these areas and to examine the continuities and discontinuities in the theoretical premises and empirical results between the two areas. Results indicated that the two areas are remarkably similar in both theoretical premises and empirical results, but that cognitive psychology emphasizes monitoring and control, whereas neuropsychology tends to emphasize control only. A synthesis that unites the work in cognitive psychology and neuropsychology would supply many new directions for research.