Viewpoint on Multisensory Body Perception and Body Illusions

In this interview-based viewpoint article, Tobias Heed and Matthew Longo discuss research investigating the role of multisensory signals in shaping perception of one's own body. Drawing on both classic and recent studies, they suggest that a central insight is that body perception and the sense of self are constructed based on the integration of real-time signals from several sensory modalities. Classic findings such as the rubber hand and Pinocchio illusions have demonstrated the flexibility of body representations, while Bayesian frameworks have provided principled accounts of how signals from different modalities are integrated. Methodological developments in psychophysics, computational modeling, and neuroimaging have enabled increasingly precise investigations of the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying embodied experience. Despite progress, many controversies remain, notably regarding the measurement and interpretation of body illusions, the influence of suggestibility and demand characteristics, and the roles of perceptual and decisional processes. The authors emphasize the importance of methodological development, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, and improving data sharing and curation practices. They anticipate that progress will be driven by more naturalistic experimental paradigms, advances in computational methods, and efforts to bridge brain, body, and behavior across levels of analysis. They recommend that early-career researchers develop strong quantitative skills, engage broadly with interdisciplinary perspectives, and pursue fundamental questions about the nature of the body and self. The authors conclude that multisensory research on body perception provides a powerful framework for understanding the constructed nature of bodily experience and remains a vibrant and exciting field in which to work.