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Cited by 274Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesMemory Processes and InfluencesCognitive Functions and Memory

Domain-General and Domain-Specific Patterns of Activity Supporting Metacognition in Human Prefrontal Cortex

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Morales, Jorge, Lau, Hakwan, Fleming, Stephen M.·2018·The Journal of Neuroscience
DOI 10.1523/jneurosci.2360-17.2018PMC PMC5895040

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Abstract

Metacognition is the capacity to evaluate the success of one's own cognitive processes in various domains; for example, memory and perception. It remains controversial whether metacognition relies on a domain-general resource that is applied to different tasks or if self-evaluative processes are domain specific. Here, we investigated this issue directly by examining the neural substrates engaged when metacognitive judgments were made by human participants of both sexes during perceptual and memory tasks matched for stimulus and performance characteristics. By comparing patterns of fMRI activity while subjects evaluated their performance, we revealed both domain-specific and domain-general metacognitive representations. Multivoxel activity patterns in anterior prefrontal cortex predicted levels of confidence in a domain-specific fashion, whereas domain-general signals predicting confidence and accuracy were found in a widespread network in the frontal and posterior midline. The demonstration of domain-specific metacognitive representations suggests the presence of a content-rich mechanism available to introspection and cognitive control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We used human neuroimaging to investigate processes supporting memory and perceptual metacognition. It remains controversial whether metacognition relies on a global resource that is applied to different tasks or if self-evaluative processes are specific to particular tasks. Using multivariate decoding methods, we provide evidence that perceptual- and memory-specific metacognitive representations coexist with generic confidence signals. Our findings reconcile previously conflicting results on the domain specificity/generality of metacognition and lay the groundwork for a mechanistic understanding of metacognitive judgments.

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  • Both domain-general and domain-specific components of confidence formation may coexist within the same brain area.

    “with the possibility that both domain-general and domain-specific components of confidence formation coexist within the same brain area (Fu et al. 2022, Morales et al. 2018).”

    From Metacognition and Confidence: A Review and Synthesis (2024) · cites this paper as Morales et al. 2018

    The Results (fMRI analyses; page unavailable) report both domain-general and domain-specific confidence-related activity, but locate the signals in different regions: dACC/pre-SMA and precuneus versus right rlPFC. The Discussion likewise describes their coexistence in the human brain, not within the same brain area. The same-area qualifier is therefore unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Modality-independent confidence signals exist in rodent and human prefrontal cortex, supporting a common currency for confidence.

    “A common currency for confidence may be supported by modality-independent confidence signals in rodent (Masset et al. 2020) and human (Morales et al. 2018) prefrontal cortex.”

    From Metacognition and Confidence: A Review and Synthesis (2024) · cites this paper as Morales et al. 2018

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Cited by

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Authors
Morales, J., Lau, H., & Fleming, S. M.
Affiliations
  • Columbia University (US)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (US)
  • Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging (GB)
Corresponding author
Morales, Jorge
ORCID
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Publisher
Society for Neuroscience
Published
2018-03-08
Volume
38
Issue
14
Pages
3534-3546
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
DOI
10.1523/jneurosci.2360-17.2018
PMC
PMC5895040
OpenAlex
W2789452615
Cited by
274
References
11
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 43 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 17
FWCI
14.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • John Templeton Foundation (21569)
  • Wellcome Trust (WT096185, 203147/Z/16/Z, 203147, 203147/Z/16/)
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS088628)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
Keywords
metacognition, domain specificity, domain generality, anterior prefrontal cortex, multivariate decoding, self-reflection, cognitive control
MeSH terms
Metacognition, Adolescent, Adult, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Perception, Prefrontal Cortex

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