interoception
- noun
- /ˌɪntəˈroʊsɛpʃən/
- Specialized
- Understanding interoception is crucial for recognizing internal sensations like pain or fatigue.
Examples
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By developing better interoception, she was able to identify her body's signals more accurately.
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Interoception helps people recognize when they are hungry or thirsty.
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Interoception continues to be a struggle we face.
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Synonyms
A feeling in your body that tells you about touch or where your arms and legs are
The ability to feel touch, pain, temperature, body position, and internal organs
The sense of feeling touch, temperature, pain, and body position
Surface Forms
Morphology
interoception = reception (opaque) = inter + ocept + ion
The prefix 'inter-' suggests 'between' or 'among', but the root 'ocept' is not a standalone English word, and the meaning is specialized.
Etymology
The word interoception comes from the parts intero- meaning 'inner', like interior, and -ception like in perception meaning 'to notice', so it literally means 'noticing the inside' of your body. That's why interoception refers to feeling internal signals such as hunger, your heartbeat, or internal pain.