Abstract
Flavell defines metacognition as knowledge and regulation of one’s own cognitive processes — children differ sharply in whether they monitor comprehension and memory accurately.
Flavell, J. H. (1979). American Psychologist, 34(10), 906–911. DOI
Key findings
- Monitoring gap — Younger children often misjudge whether they have learned material — metacognitive monitoring lags performance.
- Developmental field — Metacognition becomes a distinct research program — linking self-awareness to learning strategy and control.
Limits
Foundational review in developmental psychology — establishes the field more than it quantifies adult pattern-detection training. Child samples dominate; adult self-monitoring accuracy still varies by domain and stakes.