Recent research published on November 20, 2024, sheds light on the intricate relationship between body ownership and the sense of agency, particularly in the context of the Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI). Conducted by a team at a prominent academic institution, the study involved 49 right-handed college students, revealing that disruptions in the sense of agency correlate with heightened sensitivity to the RHI.
The RHI is a phenomenon where individuals perceive a rubber hand as their own after being subjected to multisensory stimuli. In this study, participants' experiences were analyzed through verbal reports collected after the RHI induction. The findings indicated that those with a lower sense of agency reported a greater susceptibility to the illusion, suggesting that the sense of agency plays a critical role in body representation.
The research emphasizes the importance of understanding how cognitive processes influence our perception of body ownership. The study's implications could extend to various fields, including psychology and neuroscience, offering insights into disorders related to body representation and identity.