Metacognition refers to what you know about your own thinking and learning. It is the part of cognition that monitors other cognitive processes, and makes adjustments to them. Cognition and metacognition are closely connected. Cognitive scientists study metacognition as an essential aspect of … [Read more...] about Metacognition is Knowing Your Mind
How to be Smart: A Simple Approach
Smart is in… And that’s intimidating. Most thinking people quietly belittle their own great brains. They envy the geniuses around them, wanting to know how to be smart like "those guys"? There’s currently a lot of confusion about how to be smart, what it means to be smart, and whether … [Read more...] about How to be Smart: A Simple Approach
Innate Intelligence vs. True Grit
My dad used to say, “It’s not the dog in the fight, it’s the fight in the dog.” He had several other antiquated gems for expressing that core idea – success is often less about natural talent than it is about persistence in pursuit of one’s goals. Emily Hanford describes a study about the role … [Read more...] about Innate Intelligence vs. True Grit
How to Learn from the Internet
More and more we reach out to the web to get answers to our questions about the world. When we’re seeking to understand why oil spills, financial crises, and other major events take place, it seems natural to go to the internet for the latest analyses and reporting. The desire to get a grip on … [Read more...] about How to Learn from the Internet
Memorize This! Working Memory Exercises Won’t Help You Learn Better
A recently released review of studies finds no evidence that working memory exercises improve general cognitive performance. In the last several years, working memory exercises have gained popularity. This is due in part to their claims to benefit students. They are often sold as help for poor … [Read more...] about Memorize This! Working Memory Exercises Won’t Help You Learn Better