Accessing the mind: relating metacognition to attention, memory, and cognitive function

The ability to reflect on one’s own thinking, [i]metacognition[/i], is a popular topic in consciousness research. However, our understanding of metacognition is still in its infancy and requires an examination of how metacognition relates to consciousness but also important brain functions including attention and memory. This thesis includes several empirical studies that investigate these processes in healthy and clinical populations. The overall view that emerges is metacognition and conscious awareness are closely related but distinct phenomena. Nuanced treatment of this distinction can advance basic and applied research on each process and how they relate to overall brain function.