What is the defining characteristic of 'conditional' metacognitive knowledge?

The defining characteristic of 'conditional' metacognitive knowledge is understanding *when and *why to use specific declarative or procedural knowledge. Metacognitive knowledge, which is knowledge about one's own cognitive processes, is categorized into declarative, procedural, and conditional knowledge. Declarative knowledge is knowing *about things (facts, concepts, rules). Procedural knowledge is knowing *how to do things (skills, strategies). Conditional knowledge is knowing *when and *why particular knowledge or skills are most effective or appropriate. It involves understanding the conditions, contexts, or situations in which a particular strategy or piece of information is most useful. For example, knowing that brainstorming is an effective strategy for generating ideas in a group setting but not when working alone under time pressure is conditional knowledge. Understanding that spaced repetition is a more effective study technique for long-term retention than cramming is also conditional knowledge. It goes beyond simply knowing *what and *how; it's about knowing *when and *why.