What does metacognition refer to?

Metacognition refers to the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes. It encompasses self-regulation and self-reflection about how one thinks, learns, and approaches problem-solving. This concept enables individuals to monitor their comprehension and performance, allowing them to adjust their strategies to enhance learning outcomes. By engaging in metacognition, a learner can evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, leading to improved strategies for learning and decision-making.

The other options do not capture the essence of metacognition. Understanding others relates more to social cognition and empathy than to one's own thinking processes. Problem-solving skills refer to the ability to find solutions to various challenges but do not necessarily involve reflecting on how one engages in that thought process. Group decision-making pertains to collaborative processes and dynamics when making choices but does not directly address individual cognitive processes, which metacognition focuses on.