Publication
Self-other distinction and individual differences in interoception, empathy, and alexithymia
| Summary: | Theoretical models have argued for a complex interaction between self-other distinction, interoception, and social cognition, despite inconsistent evidence. To examine the associations between self-other distinction and individual differences in interoception, empathy, and alexithymia. 51 college students (21.82 years; 47.1% male) completed the Imitation-Inhibition Task to assess self-other distinction and an online survey with questionnaires to evaluate empathy (Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale), interoceptive attention (Body Perception Questionnaire - BPQ) and accuracy (Interoceptive Accuracy Scale). Zero-order correlations, t-tests, and hierarchical linear regressions were implemented for statistical analysis (preregistered at https://osf.io/w4qt6). Self-other distinction (indexed by imitation-inhibition scores) was marginally related to affective empathy, although this association was not significant when controlling for sex (male subjects displayed enhanced self-other distinction and worst affective empathy) and baseline reaction times. Imitation-inhibition was not associated with any other variable of interest. Findings regarding interoceptive attention should be interpreted with caution as only 18 subjects correctly interpreted the BPQ. Despite the reduced sample size, the current findings suggest that self-other distinction, as measured by the Imitation-Inhibition Task, is not associated with individual differences in interoception, empathy, or alexithymia. |
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| Main Authors: | Campos, Carlos |
| Other Authors: | Silva, Cláudia; Rocha, Nuno; Barbosa, Fernando |
| Subject: | Alexithymia Empathy Interoception Interoceptive accuracy Interoceptive attention Poster Self-other Distinction |
| Year: | 2022 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | conference output |
| Access type: | open access |
| Associated institution: | Instituto Politécnico do Porto |
| Language: | English |
| Origin: | Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico do Porto |
| Summary: | Theoretical models have argued for a complex interaction between self-other distinction, interoception, and social cognition, despite inconsistent evidence. To examine the associations between self-other distinction and individual differences in interoception, empathy, and alexithymia. 51 college students (21.82 years; 47.1% male) completed the Imitation-Inhibition Task to assess self-other distinction and an online survey with questionnaires to evaluate empathy (Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale), interoceptive attention (Body Perception Questionnaire - BPQ) and accuracy (Interoceptive Accuracy Scale). Zero-order correlations, t-tests, and hierarchical linear regressions were implemented for statistical analysis (preregistered at https://osf.io/w4qt6). Self-other distinction (indexed by imitation-inhibition scores) was marginally related to affective empathy, although this association was not significant when controlling for sex (male subjects displayed enhanced self-other distinction and worst affective empathy) and baseline reaction times. Imitation-inhibition was not associated with any other variable of interest. Findings regarding interoceptive attention should be interpreted with caution as only 18 subjects correctly interpreted the BPQ. Despite the reduced sample size, the current findings suggest that self-other distinction, as measured by the Imitation-Inhibition Task, is not associated with individual differences in interoception, empathy, or alexithymia. |
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