Function and Evolution of Cognitive Monitoring and Cognitive Control

元认知是思考自己的思维过程的能力，这对复杂的认知至关重要。例如，了解你对一个新单词的掌握程度，可以让你决定什么时候停止学习已经学过的单词。 元认知包括监控自己正在进行的认知过程，并对其施加认知控制。这项研究意义重大，因为它将确定认知监测和控制在复杂的非人类灵长类动物认知中的作用。这种比较研究将推进复杂认知进化的知识，以及是什么使人类独特。研究人员将通过参观K-12教室和在当地动物园开发一个互动亭来促进有关认知科学和灵长类认知的公共教育，让游客体验展出的灵长类动物进行的相同认知测试。在整个研究项目中，本科生和研究生将接受科学职业培训。来自心理物理和记忆测试的证据表明，非人类灵长类动物的内向性监测一些认知过程，例如显示出选择性回避困难的测试。这项研究将通过检查哪些认知系统可以进行认知监控，哪些不能，来确定认知监控在灵长类动物认知控制中的作用。通过测试涉及多个有助于准确性的记忆系统的任务中的准确性和置信度之间的分离，以及通过使用分离运动和感知过程的心理物理测试，可以将可用于认知监测的认知系统与不可用于认知监测的认知系统区分开来。具体的研究通过考虑1）灵长类动物在多大程度上调节它们在参加测试之前获得的信息量来实现这些目标; 2）灵长类动物在做出元认知判断时监测什么信息; 3）灵长类动物仅在必要时才策略性地行使认知控制并在竞争任务中自适应地分配监测的程度;（4）类语言心理表征在认知监控中的作用。这些比较研究将确定在灵长类进化过程中认知监控和认知控制的变化程度。

Metacognition is the ability to think about one's own thought processes, which is critical for sophisticated cognition. For example, understanding how well you know a new vocabulary word allows you to decide when to stop studying words as they are learned. Metacognition involves both monitoring one's own ongoing cognitive processes and exerting cognitive control over them. The proposed research is significant because it will identify the role of cognitive monitoring and control in complex nonhuman primate cognition. This comparative research will advance knowledge of the evolution of complex cognition and of what makes humans unique. The investigators will promote public education about cognitive science and primate cognition through visits to K-12 classrooms and developing an interactive kiosk at the local zoo that allows visitors to experience the same cognitive tests performed by the primates on exhibit. Throughout the research project, undergraduate and graduate students will receive training for careers in science.Evidence from psychophysical and memory tests indicates that nonhuman primates introspectively monitor some cognitive processes, for example showing selective avoidance of difficult tests. This research will determine the role of cognitive monitoring for cognitive control in primates by examining which cognitive systems are accessible to cognitive monitoring and which are not. Cognitive systems accessible to cognitive monitoring will be distinguished from those that are not by testing for dissociations between accuracy and confidence in tasks involving multiple memory systems contributing to accuracy, and by using psychophysical tests that dissociate motor and perceptual processes. Specific studies address these goals through consideration of 1) the extent to which primates regulate the amount of information they acquire prior to taking tests; 2) what information primates monitor when making metacognitive judgments; 3) the extent to which primates strategically exercise cognitive control only when necessary and adaptively allocate monitoring among competing tasks; and 4) the role of language-like mental representations in cognitive monitoring and control. These comparative studies will determine the extent to which there have been changes in cognitive monitoring and cognitive control through primate evolution.