How Negative Thoughts Affect Our Sense of Body Ownership
Author Information
Author(s): Yamamoto Kazuki, Nakao Takashi
Primary Institution: Hiroshima University
Hypothesis
Does interpreting a virtual body as one's own in a negative state inhibit the full-body illusion?
Conclusion
The study found that interpreting a virtual body as one's own while experiencing abdominal pain inhibited the sense of body ownership.
Supporting Evidence
- The study confirmed that the full-body illusion was inhibited when participants interpreted the virtual body as their own in a negative state.
- Skin conductance responses indicated a significant difference between neutral and negative self-association conditions.
- Participants with higher depersonalization tendencies showed less sense of body ownership in the neutral self-association condition.
Takeaway
When people were told to think of a virtual body as their own but in pain, they had a harder time feeling like it was really theirs.
Methodology
Participants experienced a full-body illusion while interpreting a virtual body as their own in either a neutral or negative state, and their skin conductance responses were measured.
Potential Biases
Potential demand characteristics may have influenced participants' responses to the illusion questionnaire.
Limitations
The study's findings may be influenced by the cognitive load of imagining pain and the small sample size.
Participant Demographics
32 male participants, mean age 21.9 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.031
Confidence Interval
95% CI=0.073, 0.704
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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