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Handbook of Embodied Psychology pp 197–220Cite as

Abstract Concepts and Metacognition: Searching for Meaning in Self and Others

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Abstract

Use of abstract concepts (e.g., truth) is one of the most sophisticated abilities that humans possess. Explaining how we develop this ability and how abstract concepts are represented constitutes one of the main challenges faced by theories of embodied and grounded cognition. In this chapter, we address this issue by focusing on the mechanisms underlying the processing of abstract concepts. We propose that metacognition—the set of capacities through which an operating subsystem is evaluated and represented by another subsystem—can ground the meaning of concepts, and that this grounding is particularly important for abstract concepts. In addition, metacognition can be applied to concept use itself. In this connection, the monitoring component of metacognition is particularly relevant: it can provide awareness of the inadequacies of our knowledge of abstract concepts, expressing a judgment of scarce confidence. This monitoring process can lead to two different but not mutually exclusive outcomes. We propose that both these outcomes have an embodied counterpart, the activation of the mouth motor system. The first is the use of inner speech, which aims to search for possible further meanings and/or to further clarify the word meaning. The second is the preparation to request the help of other—better if authoritative—people (social metacognition): when our knowledge has gaps, the need of social deference is stronger.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Anna M. Borghi & Chiara Fini

  2. Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Italian National Research Institute, Rome, Italy

    Anna M. Borghi & Luca Tummolini

Authors
  1. Anna M. Borghi
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  2. Chiara Fini
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  3. Luca Tummolini
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Correspondence to Anna M. Borghi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. NDSU Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Michael D. Robinson

  2. NDSU Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Laura E. Thomas

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Borghi, A.M., Fini, C., Tummolini, L. (2021). Abstract Concepts and Metacognition: Searching for Meaning in Self and Others. In: Robinson, M.D., Thomas, L.E. (eds) Handbook of Embodied Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78471-3_9

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