Abstract

Explicit metacognition is the uniquely human ability to reflect on the workings of our minds and to share these reflections with others. Through this sharing we learn how to interpret our feelings and how to manipulate our reports of them to gain advantage. For example, we can express our feeling of confidence in different ways depending on whether we want to cooperate with others or to compete with them. Explicit metacognition also allows us to learn from the experiences of others rather than through our own direct experience. Through this process lower-level cognitive processes can be changed, and new habits formed. This process is fundamental for enhancing social cohesion and for the creation of cumulative culture.

About the speaker

Chris Frith, Emeritus Professor of Neuropsychology, Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL and Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Philosophy, University of London