On the role of interoceptive processes for emotions and health-related behavior

Interoception is understood as the sensing and representation of signals concerning the internal state of the body. Within psychology, there has been a resurgence of interest in interoception, driven by increasing realization of the extent to which mental processes are embodied. Individual differences in perception of, and sensitivity to, changes within the internal bodily state are one way of quantifying interoceptive processes. Empirical data presented here will focus on the role of interoception for emotions and their regulation as well as for health-related behaviour. This includes results on the role of interoception for reducing aversive states provoked by social exclusion and for the use of different emotion regulation strategies. Furthermore, data on the interplay between interoception and physical activity, body weight and eating behaviour will be presented referring to different methods used such as EEG; heart rate or heart rate variability. Samples assessed include healthy adults, clinical populations as well as children and adolescents, demonstrating that interoception has broad implications across perceptual, cognitive, emotional and behavioural domains.

Olga Pollatos is head of the Clinical & Health Psychology department at the university of Ulm in Germany