Metamemory: A Theoretical Framework and New Findings

Nelson, Thomas O.

doi:10.1016/s0079-7421(08)60053-5

Cited by 2,583Memory Processes and InfluencesCognitive Functions and MemoryEducational Strategies and Epistemologies

Metamemory: A Theoretical Framework and New Findings

Nelson, Thomas O.·1990·Psychology of Learning and Motivation

DOI 10.1016/s0079-7421(08)60053-5

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“To bridge this gap, we adopt a metacognitive probe inspired by cognitive science (Flavell, 1979; Nelson and Narens, 1990) to estimate the model’s intrinsic uncertainty about the task state from the current memory.”
Influential
Towards an Ontology for Robot Introspection and Metacognition
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TT-SI: Self-Improving LLM Agents with Test-Time Training
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“…take advantage of their background experience (similar to the pretraining stage of LMs) and exhibit remarkable efficiency during learning, often guided by self-regulated learning principles (Zimmerman, 2002) where individuals actively seek and learn from informative demonstrations (Nelson, 1990).”
Beyond Sycophancy: Measuring Hallucination-Free Convergence in Long-Term Human–LLM Interaction
Lee, J. (2026) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.6480360
College students' metacognitive awareness of generative-AI reliance: an experimental study of decision confidence and attribution bias
Ren, S. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1926110
“Metacognition refers to people’s knowledge and regulation of their own cognition, including their ability to monitor uncertainty, evaluate evidence, and adjust strategies when knowledge is incomplete (Flavell, 1979; Nelson and Narens, 1990; Koriat, 1997).”
Self-Improving LLM Agents at Test-Time
Acikgoz, E. C., Qian, C., Ji, H., Hakkani-Tür, D., & Tur, G. (2025) · arXiv
“This process is closely aligned with theories of metacognition and self-regulated learning, where learners actively identify their knowledge gaps and pursue targeted resources to close them (Nelson, 1990; Winne & Hadwin, 1998; Zimmerman, 2002).”
Useful Memories Become Faulty When Continuously Updated by LLMs
Zhang, D., Lin, Y., Wu, Z., Sun, Y., Li, B., Li, D., & Peng, H. (2026) · arXiv · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.12978
A Componential and Functional Framework for Metacognition: Implications for Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management*
Sun, S. (2024) · Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management · doi:10.1108/s0742-730120240000042002

Authors: Nelson, T. O.
Corresponding author: Nelson, Thomas O.
Venue: Psychology of Learning and Motivation
Publisher: Elsevier
Published: 1990
Pages: 125-173
ISSN: 0079-7421 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/s0079-7421(08)60053-5
OpenAlex: W1598182466
Cited by: 2,583
References: 4
Citations by year: 2026: 178 · 2025: 169 · 2024: 147 · 2023: 205 · 2022: 129 · 2021: 150 · 2020: 138 · 2019: 150 · 2018: 133 · 2017: 107 · 2016: 100 · 2015: 119 · 2014: 111 · 2013: 94 · 2012: 93
FWCI: 5.49
Type: book chapter
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: The Psychology of learning and motivation/The psychology of learning and motivation (publishedVersion)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
Keywords: metamemory, feeling of knowing, metacognition, recognition memory, memory retrieval, metacognitive regulation, metacognitive monitoring

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