Neural Mechanisms Flashcards
Prefrontal Cortex role in metacognition
- neuroscientists have identified brain regions for metacognition from cognitive processes
- found evidence of functional specialization > multiple levels of metacognitive representations
- gives us the ability to evaluate the performance of the PFC
Dissociating metacognition and cognition
- Neuroimaging techniques :
- Lesion studies:
- computational modelling
- behavioral manipulations
- cognition and metacognition highly interconnected > complete dissociation may not always be possible
Behavourial manipulations - Neural Mechanisms
- experimental design manipulating demands > comparing behavioral and accuracy measures
- e.g participants could be asked to perform a cognitive task whilst explicitly reporting their confidence in their responses (metacognitive) or perform the same task without confidence judgements (cognitive)
- compare behavioral performance and accuracy to assess whether metacognitive processes can be manipulated independently of cognitive processes
computational modelling - neural mechanisms
- computational modelling: simulating cognitive and metacognitive processes > algorithms and architecture > model based analysis > interpretation of neural data collected during experiments
Lesion studies - Neural Mechanisms
Lesion studies: neurological disorders > see if there is selective impairment of metacognitive abilities whilst leaving cognition intact> suggests dissociation/ reliance on different mechanisms > compare performances on tasks
Neuroimaging techniques - neural mechanisms
FMRI and EEG > used to study neural correlates > examining brain activity during cognitive tasks > distinct patterns
Basal ganglia role in MC
- complex network of structures located in brain
-known for motor control, reward processing, learning - implicated in decision making, monitoring
Ways basal ganglia implicated in metacognition
- Decision monitoring
- Confidence and Uncertainty
- Learning and feedback processing
- Cognitive flexibility
Basal Ganglia and decision monitoring
- striatum in particular
- implicated in monitoring and evaluating decision outcomes
- helps access accuracy of judgements/actions
- can influence confidence ratings or awareness of uncertainty
- dysfunctions in basal ganglia can lead to impaired decision monitoring
Basal ganglia, confidence, uncertainty
- particularly putamen and caudate nucleus thought to contribute to computation of confidence or uncertainty signals
- disruptions in basal ganglia associated with altered confidence judgements and difficulties in evaluating uncertainty
Basal ganglia learning and feedback processing
- role in reinforcement learning + feedback about decisions or actions
- learning process vital for metacognition
- adjust judgements based on feedback
- dysfunctions in basal ganglia can disrupt the ability to learn from feedback
Basal ganglia learning and feedback processing
- role in reinforcement learning + feedback about decisions or actions
- learning process vital for metacognition
- adjust judgements based on feedback
- dysfunctions in basal ganglia can disrupt the ability to learn from feedback
basal ganglia and cognitive flexibility
- Mc requires the ability to adapt strategies and switch between different cognitive processes
- subthalamic nucleus in particular > involved in regulating cognitive flexibility and action selection
- impairments in this system can lead to difficulties in adjusting Mc strategies according to task
Aims of Neural research into MC
- to increase validity of data with accurate and precise methods
- to establish cause and effect
Sensory uncertainty
- Bayesian theories of neural coding propose that sensory uncertainty is represented by a probability distribution encoded in neural population activity
direct neural evidence supporting this hypothesis is currently lacking
