Metacognition, literally meaning "above cognition," refers to the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes. It involves reflecting on your thinking, knowing when and how to use specific strategies for problem-solving, and understanding your cognitive strengths and weaknesses. First coined in the 1970s by developmental psychologist John H. Flavell, metacognition encompasses both knowledge about cognition and regulation of cognition.
Metacognition includes metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive regulation, and metacognitive experiences. Metacognitive knowledge involves understanding your own cognitive abilities and learning strategies. Metacognitive regulation refers to the ability to plan, monitor, and evaluate your learning process. This helps individuals choose effective learning strategies and recognize when their current approach isn't working. Metacognitive experiences involve the subjective feelings and judgments that accompany thinking. Explicitly teaching metacognitive strategies can lead to significant progress, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, by making them more independent and confident. Interventions that aim to enhance metacognitive abilities have been shown to improve academic performance.