Scientists and philosophers have pondered the nature of consciousness for centuries. But now, researchers from Japan have uncovered new information that challenges previous theories about the relationship between two elements of consciousness.
In a study published this month in iScience, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed that when the perception of bodily self-consciousness is distorted, the recovery of body ownership can be predicted by different kinds of memories.
Bodily self-consciousness arises through a developmental process in which sensory information is integrated with mental representations of the body, and it has specifically been linked to the relationship between body ownership and agency (the sense of being able to control one’s actions at will). However, little is known about the development of body ownership and agency, or how these are restored…
