Brain Injuries - Understanding Metacognition

Metacognition, as defined by Wikipedia, is ‘cognition about cognition’ or ‘knowing about knowing’. i.e.: it is knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes – awareness and self-awareness.

A survivor I spoke with said that it is an awareness of thoughts as well as behaviour. She said that you can’t alter behaviour and attitude until you know you are doing something. She said metacognition is the beginning of real rehabilitation and that cognitive therapy will help with the process.

John Flavell has written much on this subject. (1979, 1987). He divides the process into the categories of: person variables, task variables and strategy variables. He feels it has to do with how each person learns (the learning process and the planning process for each particular task).

Metacognition is the knowledge of self and the realization that it must be combined with commitment, focus and attitude. It involves an awareness of control over the process of thinking.

Commitment, attitude and focus are extremely important when working towards success. In order for someone to succeed, they must be entirely committed to the task at hand and must be persistent in their efforts.

A good attitude is about being positive and accountable. Your attitude on what you want to achieve will determine the result of what you get. Having a negative outlook will only bring more negativity.

To be focused is to have a definite and doable goal. Being focused helps to be successful in the performance of specific tasks. This thought is reinforced when they realize that their success is based upon their own efforts. Once they realize that they know how things work, they can plan, evaluate and then problem-solve each task.

“A human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” By William James

"Our thoughts create our reality - where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go." By Peter McWilliams

"Success doesn't come to you - you go to it." By Marva Collins