CISLL Publications

Author ORCID Identifier

Marissa R. Bamberger: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0397-3997

Lindsay N. Harris: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8573-6153

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Cultural Cognitive Science

Abstract

The cultural origins hypothesis posits conscious metacognitive abilities in humans are acquired through cultural selection facilitated by cultural learning. Interpersonal broadcasting, much of which is nonverbal, is hypothesized to be one conduit of cultural learning. Thus, individuals with no or limited access to nonverbal information, such as blind persons, should have metacognitive abilities different from those of the larger culture. To test this prediction, we asked blind (n = 23) and sighted (n = 20) adults to recall the modality (Spoken or Written) of words whose definitions they had learned, and to indicate their degree of confidence in their response. We found blind participants had increased metacognitive confidence compared to sighted participants, despite being no more accurate in their judgments. Neither group showed metacognitive calibration, i.e., a relationship between confidence and accuracy. The findings are consistent with the cultural origins hypothesis and support broadcasting as a vehicle for cultural learning.

DOI

10.1007/s41809-025-00178-6

Publication Date

2025

Department

Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literature| Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations (LEPF)

Special Interest Group

Diversity and Language Processing

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