Relation of Metacognitive Monitoring and Control Processes across the Life-Span

Abstract

The two studies presented here were conducted to explore the relationship between metacognitive monitoring and control processes across the life-span. Monitoring processes often guide control processes (goal-oriented learning), yet more recent work also documents that control processes can also be based on feedback from monitoring processes (data-oriented learning). Study 1 provided first evidence for data-oriented learning in older adults and in a life-span perspective. Participants of four age groups (third-grade children, adolescents, younger and older adults) were able to adapt their Judgments-Of-Learning (JOLs) based on their Study Time (ST). Effects were most pronounced for younger and older adults. Study 2 investigated the flexible interplay between goal- and data-oriented learning within one learning task for the first time in older adults and from a life-span perspective. Adolescents and younger adults were able to switch between models while elementary children and older adults hat greater difficulties to do so. Possible causes for developmental trends are discussed. In sum, the integration of both goal- and data-oriented learning within one task seems to be a complex process.