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The body in the mind: on the relationship between interoception and embodiment
Beate M Herbert1, Olga Pollatos
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Tuebingen, Eberhard-Karls-University. beate.herbert@gmx.de
Topics in Cognitive Science
|March 6, 2012
Summary
Interoception, the awareness of bodily signals, is crucial for behavior and emotions. Understanding interoception and embodiment offers insights into disorders involving bodily state misinterpretation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Embodied Cognition
Background:
- Interoception, the processing of bodily signals, is fundamental to human behavior and emotional experience.
- Embodied cognition theories propose that cognitive processes rely on sensory-motor experiences.
- Interoceptive representations are linked to emotional states and cognitive functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of current findings and models of interoception.
- To explore the mechanisms of embodiment in relation to interoception.
- To highlight the relevance of interoception for understanding specific psychological disorders.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on interoception and embodiment.
- Analysis of theoretical models connecting bodily signals to cognition and emotion.
- Discussion of clinical implications for disorders related to interoceptive processing.
Main Results:
- Interoception significantly influences emotional experience and cognitive functions.
- Embodiment mechanisms involve the reactivation of sensory-motor states.
- Disorders may stem from impaired translation of bodily states into subjective feelings.
Conclusions:
- Interoception and embodiment are integral to self-awareness and emotional processing.
- Further research into interoception is vital for understanding both typical and atypical psychological functioning.
- Interoceptive deficits may underlie various psychiatric and somatic conditions.
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