Metacognition—the ability to monitor and control your own thinking—isn't just a fixed trait. According to a new theory from Brendan Conway-Smith at Carleton University, it's a learned skill that can be trained and improved.
The Research
In his PhD thesis, Metacognitive Skill Learning: A Computational Account (2026), Conway-Smith builds on classic models of skill acquisition from fields like sports and music. He argues that metacognitive abilities develop through proceduralization: what starts as slow, effortful thinking—like deliberately checking your understanding or regulating an emotional response—becomes automatic and efficient with practice.
The theory unifies several known phenomena: attentional training, emotion regulation, the 'metacognitive threshold' (the point at which you become aware of your own thoughts), and detached mindfulness (observing thoughts without judgment). By explaining all of these with one mechanism, the account offers a cohesive framework for understanding how metacognitive skills grow.
This work addresses a long-standing gap. While metacognition has been studied for decades, there was no formal theory of how these abilities are learned. The proposed model is computational and mechanistic, making it testable and applicable to fields like education, therapy, and artificial intelligence.
Why It Matters
If metacognitive skills are learned, they can be improved—good news for anyone who wants to think more clearly, make better decisions, or regulate emotions. This aligns with other research showing that cognitive training can lead to lasting changes in brain function.
For everyday life, this means that practices like self-reflection, mindfulness, and actively checking your reasoning aren't just philosophical exercises—they are skill-building workouts for your brain's control center.
What You Can Do
- Practice self-checking: After solving a problem, ask yourself, 'How did I approach that? What would I do differently?'
- Try detached mindfulness: Notice your thoughts without judging them. This builds the automatic monitoring that is key to metacognitive skill.
- Gradually increase challenge: Like any skill, start with easy tasks and slowly increase difficulty to build robust metacognitive routines.
Metacognition isn't fixed—it's a skill you can sharpen with practice.
Source: arXiv q-bio.NC
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