Author: Hiroshima University
Published: 2025/03/21
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Research, Study, Analysis
Topic: Electronics and Software – Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis – Introduction – Main – Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This peer-reviewed research, printed in Frontiers in Psychology, explores how top-down interpretation – our prior experiences, expectations, and biases – impacts physique possession in digital actuality. Conducted by researchers at Hiroshima University, the research used a full-body phantasm (FBI) in VR to check whether or not imagining a digital physique in ache would disrupt the sense of possession. Findings point out that individuals with increased depersonalization tendencies struggled extra with feeling related to the digital physique, particularly when instructed to understand it as experiencing ache. This analysis presents beneficial insights into circumstances like depersonalization-derealization dysfunction, which impacts physique notion, and might contribute to medical interventions for these experiencing a disconnection from their bodily selves, together with people with disabilities and seniors who might have altered sensory processing – Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
The manipulation of top-down interpretation as one’s symptomatic physique reduces the sense of physique possession.
A research from Hiroshima University discovered that when individuals had been instructed to think about their digital our bodies in ache, their brains resisted the phantasm of possession. Their findings might present insights into why some individuals might battle with feeling related to their very own our bodies, notably in contexts involving depersonalization or destructive bodily states.
Main Content
The sense of physique possession – the sensation that our physique belongs to us – is essential in distinguishing ourselves from objects and responding to threats. Researchers research it utilizing methods just like the rubber hand phantasm (RHI) and full-body phantasm (FBI), wherein a person is in some way influenced to determine with possession of a pretend or digital physique. To discover how physique possession could be disrupted, researchers take a look at whether or not top-down elements – the place earlier information, reminiscences, and beliefs form how we understand and interpret new info or stimuli – weaken the phantasm when individuals are requested to determine with a digital physique in a destructive bodily state.
Researchers printed their leads to Frontiers in Psychology in December 2024.
“Using the full-body phantasm in digital actuality – the place individuals start to really feel a digital physique as their very own – we investigated how deciphering the digital physique as one’s personal physique, whereas in a destructive bodily state, impacts this phantasm. This analysis can probably relate to depersonalization, a situation the place individuals battle to really feel their physique as their very own,” mentioned Kazuki Yamamoto, researcher and creator of the research.
Participants had been instructed to view a digital physique from the again utilizing a digital actuality (VR) headset and think about it as their very own. Participants would watch the digital physique have their again stroked whereas their very own bodily physique was stroked additionally which efficiently illicited the phantasm. This is a method of utilizing bottom-up elements, which begins with an exterior stimulus to combine visual-tactile info, and is a well-tested method to efficiently affect the FBI.
Continued…
To take a look at the impact of top-down elements, the identical plan of action was instructed with the addition of figuring out with the digital physique as their very own in a destructive bodily state (feeling stomach ache). After the participant watches their digital physique being stroked alongside their again, a worry stimulus is introduced within the type of a knife driving into the digital physique’s again. The worry response is measured utilizing a skin-conductance response and the diploma of conductance measures is then associated to how strongly the participant is figuring out with their digital physique.
One of the details of this research is utilizing top-down elements, that are expectation or biases on what one thing ought to really feel like based mostly on prior expertise or interactions, to find out if these may also affect a way of physique possession.
Results indicated that the full-body phantasm was inhibited when requested to view the digital physique as their very own with stomach ache, and the upper the diploma of depersonalization tendencies throughout the individuals resulted in a decrease diploma of FBI.
Researchers recommend this may very well be attributable to a number of elements, one among which being the manipulation of utilizing top-down elements. Another suggestion is that the individuals might need had problem perceiving the destructive bodily signs, subsequently they’d problem totally establishing the connection of “the digital physique is my physique” which is essential for the phantasm to happen.
Given the findings of the research, extra analysis could be performed to totally perceive why an inhibition of the phantasm occurred.
“While we noticed this inhibitory impact, additional analysis is required to find out whether or not it was particularly because of the destructive interpretation or to variations between precise and digital physique states,” mentioned Takashi Nakao, researcher and creator of the research.
The basis offered by this research and subsequent research can support in medical intervention for these affected by disturbed physique possession, comparable to people with depersonalization-derealization dysfunction. This work can enhance these people’ sense of physique possession, which might significantly enhance lives, not just for security functions but additionally sensory and notion functions.
About the Study
Kazuki Yamamoto and Takashi Nakao of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Hiroshima University contributed to this analysis.
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science funded this analysis.
Hiroshima University
Since its basis in 1949, Hiroshima University has striven to grow to be probably the most outstanding and complete universities in Japan for the promotion and growth of scholarship and schooling. Consisting of 12 faculties for undergraduate degree and 5 graduate faculties, starting from pure sciences to humanities and social sciences, the college has grown into probably the most distinguished complete analysis universities in Japan.
Editorial Note: By demonstrating how cognitive interpretation can weaken physique possession illusions, this research opens new pathways for understanding and treating circumstances that have an effect on bodily self-awareness. Future analysis can refine these findings to raised assist people with depersonalization signs, persistent ache, or sensory integration challenges. The implications lengthen past psychology, with potential purposes in VR remedy, rehabilitation, and assistive applied sciences that improve bodily notion for these with neurological or sensory impairments – Disabled World (DW).
Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was chosen for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) attributable to its relevance to the incapacity neighborhood. Originally authored by Hiroshima University and printed on 2025/03/21, this content material might have been edited for type, readability, or brevity. NOTE: Disabled World doesn’t present any warranties or endorsements associated to this text.
Citing and References
Founded in 2004, Disabled World (DW) is a number one useful resource on disabilities, assistive applied sciences, and accessibility, supporting the incapacity neighborhood. Learn extra on our About Us web page.
Cite This Page: Hiroshima University. (2025, March 21). VR Study Shows How Pain and Fear Disrupt Body Ownership Perception. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved June 24, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/assistivedevices/laptop/pain-fear.php
Permalink: <a href=”https://www.disabled-world.com/assistivedevices/laptop/pain-fear.php”>VR Study Shows How Pain and Fear Disrupt Body Ownership Perception</a>: A research on how imagining ache in VR disrupts physique possession, providing insights into depersonalization and potential medical purposes.
While we attempt to offer correct and up-to-date info, it is vital to notice that our content material is for normal informational functions solely. We at all times advocate consulting certified healthcare professionals for personalised medical recommendation. Any third celebration providing or promoting doesn’t represent an endorsement.