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Felt embodiment as a motive in flourishing
Lars-Gunnar Lundh1, Lo Foster1
1Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Frontiers in Psychology
|December 11, 2025
Summary
Humans have a fundamental need to feel embodied, which is crucial for self-identity, relationships, and overall well-being. This feeling of embodiment can motivate actions, both positively (embodiment motivation) and negatively (disembodiment motivation).
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Embodiment is defined as the experience of 'my body,' encompassing both having a body and being this body.
- The subjective experience of the felt body focuses on how the body feels, rather than its objective characteristics.
- A felt sense of embodiment is integral to human experience and psychological functioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the inherent need for feeling embodied for self-identity, interpersonal relations, and general well-being.
- To introduce and define embodiment motivation and disembodiment motivation as key psychological drivers.
- To explore the scope of embodiment motivation, including vitality, environmental integration, and social connection.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and theoretical framework development.
- Definition and elaboration of embodiment and disembodiment motivations.
- Illustration of embodiment motivation through examples such as physical activity, environmental connection, and social touch.
Main Results:
- A fundamental need to feel embodied is proposed, essential for psychological health and flourishing.
- Embodiment and disembodiment motivations are identified as significant drivers of human behavior.
- Felt embodiment motivation encompasses experiencing bodily vitality, environmental integration, and social connection.
Conclusions:
- Feeling embodied is a core human need with profound implications for psychological development and functioning.
- Embodiment motivation, the drive to feel one's body, and its opposite, disembodiment motivation, represent a novel area of psychological research.
- Understanding embodiment motivation is key to promoting well-being, healthy relationships, and a robust sense of self.
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