Motivating children to (pre)monitor: positive effects on monitoring accuracy?

Abstract When young children evaluate their confidence, monitoring is often overoptimistic, that is, inaccurate. The present study investigated a potential underlying mechanism for kindergarteners’ and second graders’ overconfidence within paired associates learning paradigm. We implemented pre-monitoring phase motivating to differentially confidence each alternative before could choose an answer in the subsequent recognition phase. For one, we intended weaken influence of one single prepotently selected memory trace. another, motivated enabled all four alternatives concerning certainty evaluating final choice by giving judgment. compared discrimination bias with control condition whose task sequence did not include Contrary our expectations, pattern results indicated being instructed pre-monitor increase decrease children. will be discussed against background memory-metamemory interaction, confirmation bias, methodological issues.