The literature provides substantial evidence that metacognition is a central part of work for nuclear power plant operators. However, there is limited theoretical, empirical and methodological research on metacognition in nuclear process control. This article establishes the importance of metacognition by describing the construct and reviewing evidence of operator metacognition from field studies and experimental research. It also reports empirical findings on metacognition from a full-scope simulator study. The results reveal that operators are less realistic about their performance (i) in knowledgebased as compared to procedure-guided scenarios, and (ii) when the perceived workload is extreme. The implications of the results for the design of control room technology and on operations are discussed.
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