Comparative cognitive science of metacognition and impulsivity

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K12700
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cognitive science
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Arii 千葉大学, 大学院人文科学研究院, 助教 (90738949)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: メタ認知

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of the current project was to study metacognition in various species and individuals by focusing on its relationship with behavioral attributes such as impulsivity. In an experiment using pigeons, we found that reward rate has a strong effect on whether or not an individual shows metacognitive behaviours. In some situations, metacognitive behaviours are not necessarily the best strategy for reward maximisation. In addition, we designed categorical discrimination tasks for pigeons and touchscreen tasks for domestic cats so that they can be used as the basis for future metacognitive research.

Free Research Field

比較認知科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「ヒト以外の動物に意識はあるか？」という根源的なテーマに取り組む手段のひとつとして注目を集めているのがメタ認知である。動物のメタ認知研究においては，特定の種がメタ認知行動をおこなうか否かが注目されがちであるが，本研究ではどのような状況下，また，どのような行動特性を持った個体がメタ認知行動をおこなうかを調べることにより，メタ認知行動の本質に迫った。このようなアプローチでメタ認知の種間比較を進めていくことで，能力の進化的要因を解明するだけでなく，教育場面などへの応用も期待できる。