EXPRESS: The Dynamics of Cue Integration in Metacognitive Judgments

Learners form judgments of learning (JOLs) by integrating multiple cues. However, little is known about how cue integration might change over time. To examine this, we introduced a modified cue-integration paradigm in which one cue (the context cue) remained constant across sequences of trials varying in length, while another cue (the target cue) varied randomly. This design allowed us to examine how the consistency and variability of a cue affect its use for JOLs and that of other available cues. In three experiments, participants studied nouns with two cues manipulated per experiment (e.g., emotionality, concreteness). In all experiments, both cues influenced JOLs, and the target cue’s influence remained stable across conditions, suggesting that learners used the two cues independently. In Experiment 1, the context cue’s effect declined when its level was constant across multiple consecutive trials. This adaptation effect did not replicate in Experiments 2 and 3. Exploratory cross-experimental analyses showed stronger context cue effects immediately after than immediately before context cue levels switched. This hints at a transient increase in cue salience following a switch. Together, our findings show that learners flexibly respond to changes in cue consistency and variability while maintaining their overall cue integration strategy.