Dual-Process theory and two types of metacognitive monitoring and control processes

Abstract

Metacognitive monitoring and control processes are important parts of our cognitive system. In this article, they are considered in the light of the dual-process theory and are interpreted as occurring at the level of the first and second types of information processing. Associative connection is the main factor that allows us to divide these processes into two types. Accordingly, metacognitive monitoring of the first type occurs when feelings of rightness/error automatically appear along with a certain judgment. The second type occurs when a controlled inference is made about whether a judgment is true or false. Metacognitive control of the first type occurs when the decision to reject, revise or accept the received judgment is associated with the feelings of rightness/error and automatically appears when one of these feelings appears. The second type takes place when a person rejects (or they are unclear) the results of the first type of metacognitive control and deliberately decides what to do with the received judgment – reject, revise or accept.