The specifics of the structural organization of the metacognitive components of reflexivity

Abstract

Introduction. Currently, the study of cognitive and metacognitive processes in professional activity is becoming particularly relevant. In terms of solving this strategic task, it is objectively necessary to converge research in two important areas, the psychology of reflection and metacognitivism. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that it identifies and interprets the basic features and laws, as well as operational means of the structural organization of reflection and explicating its irreducibility to the additive totality of the main metacognitive processes included in it. Methods. The sample (n = 220) consisted of representatives of the main classes of activity – subject-object, subject-subject, and subject-information, as well as students of universities in Yaroslavl and Moscow. Psychodiagnostics was performed using the author's methods of diagnostics of reflexivity (A.V. Karpov, V. V. Ponomareva) and metathinking (A. A. Karpov), as well as a set of methods developed in metacognitivism, the methods of R. Dickson – D. Haltcha (Metamemory in Adult – MIA), the methods of D. Everson for the diagnosis of meta-planning, methods for the diagnosis of motivational metacognitive strategies (MSLQ), etc. Results. It is established that the individual measure of reflexivity is not identical to the value of the metacognitive potential formed by an additive set of basic metacognitive processes and qualities. Consequently, in it, as an integral individual quality, there is an action of specifically systemic patterns and mechanisms of the integrative type proper, generating synergetic effects and leading to the generation of new, specific content for it. Discussion. The results are interpreted from the positions of the main provisions of metacognitivism as well as the basic provisions of the theory of systems and psychology of reflection. In conclusion, it is concluded that the content of reflexivity is incompatible with the additive set of its constituent partial components - metacognitive processes and qualities - which determines the specificity of its psychological status and its uniqueness as an integral mental property.

Keywords

• reflexivity
• metacognitive processes
• metacognitive qualities
• structural patterns
• integrative mechanisms
• synergetic effects
• superadditivity
• reflection
• arbitrary regulation
• cognitive processes