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. 2024 Feb;77(2):223-229.
doi: 10.1177/17470218231172725. Epub 2023 May 9.

Interoception: Where do we go from here?

Jennifer Murphy  1
Affiliations

Interoception: Where do we go from here?

Jennifer Murphy. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2024 Feb.

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant rise in interest in interoception, the processing of internal bodily signals. This interest has been coupled by increased concerns regarding the measurement and conceptualisation of interoception. Focusing on cardiac interoceptive accuracy, I outline what I believe to be the most pressing issues in the field of interoception-specifically the continued reliance on the heartbeat counting task. I then provide an overview of what I believe to be more general limitations concerning how we measure and conceptualise individual differences in interoception and suggestions for a way forward. Specifically, I believe that by moving beyond single measurements, establishing optimal levels of interoceptive accuracy, and refocusing from accuracy to propensity, we may be able to uncover the real-life relevance of interoceptive abilities.

Keywords: Interoception; body perception; interoceptive accuracy; interoceptive awareness.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Dr Murphy has completed paid consultancy work for Zavfit and the Ripple Effect for work on mental health and wellbeing.

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