2008 | Longo, Matthew R. and Schüür, F. and Kammers, M.P.M. and Tsakiris, M. and Haggard, P.
This study investigates the structure of embodiment by applying a psychometric approach to structured introspective reports of the rubber hand illusion. Participants observed a rubber hand that was stroked synchronously or asynchronously with their own hand and then made proprioceptive judgments and rated their agreement with statements about their subjective experience. Principal components analysis revealed four major components: *embodiment of rubber hand*, *loss of own hand*, *movement*, and *affect*. In the asynchronous condition, an additional component, *deafference*, was identified. Further analysis of the *embodiment of rubber hand* component identified three subcomponents: *ownership*, *location*, and *agency*. The results suggest that psychometric tools can provide a rich method for studying the structure of conscious experience and highlight the dissociable aspects of embodiment, such as ownership and location. The study also found that multisensory synchrony differentially affects these aspects of experience, with synchronous stroking enhancing the sense of ownership and location, while asynchronous stroking enhances the sense of agency. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex nature of embodiment and its neural underpinnings.This study investigates the structure of embodiment by applying a psychometric approach to structured introspective reports of the rubber hand illusion. Participants observed a rubber hand that was stroked synchronously or asynchronously with their own hand and then made proprioceptive judgments and rated their agreement with statements about their subjective experience. Principal components analysis revealed four major components: *embodiment of rubber hand*, *loss of own hand*, *movement*, and *affect*. In the asynchronous condition, an additional component, *deafference*, was identified. Further analysis of the *embodiment of rubber hand* component identified three subcomponents: *ownership*, *location*, and *agency*. The results suggest that psychometric tools can provide a rich method for studying the structure of conscious experience and highlight the dissociable aspects of embodiment, such as ownership and location. The study also found that multisensory synchrony differentially affects these aspects of experience, with synchronous stroking enhancing the sense of ownership and location, while asynchronous stroking enhances the sense of agency. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complex nature of embodiment and its neural underpinnings.