Metacognition is the study of our knowledge or awareness of our own inner knowledge, and is the key difference between correctly identifying a hard to detect target using unconscious information (when you believe you are guessing) and conscious knowledge (when you are aware of the target, as well as correctly noticing it). Metacognition, therefore, is a rigorous way of studying consciousness. Previous research has used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to show that a part of the frontal lobes, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, is necessary for metacognitive judgements, and therefore may play a general role in consciousness. TMS involves applying a powerful electromagnet to the scalp, and creating a safe, focal, highly transient disruption of the neurons in the underlying cortex. We have been attempting to replicate these findings, and extend them to the posterior parietal cortex, another region heavily associated with consciousness. We have also been examining the relationship between metacognition and IQ, and have been developing tools to extend and further assess the mathematical techniques that are used to quantify metacognition in such studies.

 People: Daniel Bor, David Schwartzman, Adam Barrett, Anil Seth, Zoltan Dienes, Ryan Scott.

Reference:

Rounis, E., et al., Theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation to the prefrontal cortex impairs metacognitive visual awareness. Cognitive Neuroscience, 2010. 1(3): p. 165 - 175.