Isolation and examination of metacognitive monitoring and control processes: a neurobehavioral study in humans and rats

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14485
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10040:Experimental psychology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2020-2021); Doshisha University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Yuki Shoko 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 助教 (60828309)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ラット / ヒト / 確信度 / メタ認知 / 行動の適応制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Metacognition is a cognitive process that monitors one's internal state and controls cognition and behavior based on the results. The purpose of this study was to integrate research on the monitoring and control processes of metacognition that has been conducted independently in human adults and in animals and infants, and to clarify the mechanisms involved. The results suggest that the metacognitive processes reflected in the task can be manipulated by applying the comparative metacognitive task to human adults. Furthermore, analysis of reaction times suggested that control processes are influenced by multiple factors other than confidence. These results will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of metacognition.

Free Research Field

神経行動科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来、メタ認知の処理段階である監視過程と制御過程は一連の過程として捉えられがちであった。しかし、ヒト成人ですら実験場面ではメタ認知を利用した行動最適化を示さないこともある(Yuki et al., 2019, Anim Behav & Cogn)など、近年メタ認知の監視・制御過程は必ずしも連動しないことが明らかになりつつある。本研究で開発した、教示によって制御過程の関与を操作する実験プロトコルは、両過程の関係性を研究する端緒となる。また、実験結果は制御過程では確信度以外の外的な要因が多く参照されることを示唆するが、この知見は両過程をつなげるメカニズムの理解に貢献するだろう。