Table 1.
Different dimensions of interoception according to Garfinkel et al. [23], Khalsa et al. [13], Heim et al. [25], and Pollatos and Herbert [24], who proposed a fourth component (IE). We also differentiate interoception from exteroception and proprioception. Instead, body awareness is constructed by signals originating both from within and outside the body; therefore, we consider it to be an umbrella term that encompasses the previous ones.
| Definitions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Garfinkel’s Definitions | Khalsa’s Definitions | ||
| Interoceptive accuracy (Iacc) | Objective accuracy in detecting signals from within the body such as heart beating, hunger or thirst. E.g., Accurately detecting heart rate |
The presence or absence of report. | Detection |
| Interoceptive sensibility (IS) | Self-perceive dispositional tendency and ability to focus on body states such as muscle tension, hunger, dry mouth, and the capacity to detect them. E.g., Noticing changes in heart rate |
Reporting subjective experiences and judging their outcomes. | Self-report |
| Interoceptive awareness (IA), metacognition | Metacognitive awareness of interoceptive accuracy. It is the correspondence between the objective performance during an IAcc task and the self-reported confidence in this performance. E.g., Accurately guessing one’s own level of IAcc |
Interoceptive insight | |
| The perceived intensity of internal states. | Magnitude | ||
| Localize sensations and differentiate them from other non-interoceptive sensations. | Discrimination | ||
| Capacity to focus attentional resources on internal states. | Attention | ||
| Correct and precise monitoring of internal signals. | Accuracy | ||
| The self-perceived tendency to focus on internal states. | Sensibility | ||
| Emotional evaluation of interoceptive signals (IE) | Interpretation of any bodily sensation occurring or being paid attention to in a certain setting. | ||
| Exteroception | Perception of external environment. The processing of signals coming from the outside, located on the external surface of the body, in other words the skin. | ||
| Proprioception | Reflects the position of the body in the space. The processing of limb position and movements. | ||