The DOI matches its Crossref record.
How the brain represents the body: insights from neurophysiology and psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Abstract. To reach for the computer mouse, to sit upright in a chair or hold a journal in order to read it, indeed, to do most of the actions that we commonly perform, we rely on a representation of the spatial con1guration of the body. How and where in the brain is the body represented and what are the psychological properties of this body schema? In this article we review 1rst the neurophysiology and then the psychology of the body representation. One 1nding that has emerged from both approaches is that the body representation is not merely a registration of proprioceptive inputs about joint angle. Instead, the brain contains a sophisticated model of the body that is continually updated on the basis of multimodal input including vision, somesthesis, and motor feedback. Neurophysiological studies in the monkey brain show that parietal area 5 is a critical node for processing the body’s con1guration. Neurons in area 5 combine signals from different modalities in order to represent limb position and movement. Psychological studies show that the body schema is used to cross-reference between different senses, as a basis for spatial cognition and for movement planning.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“The body schema contains layers of information about the body, about its stable properties such as its shape and hinged structure and about more dynamic properties such as forces and velocities (Head and Holmes, 1911; Shadmehr and Mussa-Ivaldi, 1994; Shadmehr and Moussavi, 2000; Graziano and Botvinick, 2002; Holmes and Spence, 2004; Hwang and Shadmehr, 2005).”
From The Attention Schema Theory: A Foundation for Engineering Artificial Consciousness (2017) · cites this paper as Graziano and Botvinick, 2002
In the citing paper
“Having the experience of being the owner of one's body is clearly adaptive, and its function probably relates to the problem of localising and correctly identifying oneself in the sensory environment [9], [10], a problem faced by all central nervous systems [11].”
From If I were you: Perceptual illusion of body swapping (2008) · cites this paper as [9]
Citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 101–158 of 158
Ehrenfeld, S., Herbort, O., & Butz, M. V. (2013) · Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fncom.2013.00148 · Cited by 14
Brain-Inspired Coding of Robot Body Schema Through Visuo-Motor Integration of Touched Events
Pugach, G., Pitti, A., Tolochko, O. I., & Gaussier, P. (2019) · Frontiers in Neurorobotics · doi:10.3389/fnbot.2019.00005 · Cited by 15
Hamilton, S. E., & Hamilton, T. J. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01155 · Cited by 12
Hoffmann, M. (2014) · Studies in applied philosophy, epistemology and rational ethics · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-05107-9_15 · Cited by 11
Bhat, A. A., Akkaladevi, S. C., Mohan, V., Eitzinger, C., & Morasso, P. (2016) · Autonomous Robots · doi:10.1007/s10514-016-9563-3 · Cited by 10
Matamala-Gomez, M., Donegan, T., & Świdrak, J. (2023) · Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · doi:10.1007/7854_2022_402 · Cited by 8
Effects of visual information on perceived posture of an experimental phantom foot
Inui, N., & Masumoto, J. (2013) · Experimental Brain Research · doi:10.1007/s00221-013-3460-1 · Cited by 9
NEUROPATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF SCOLIOSIS – A THEORETICAL VIEW POINT
Czupryna, K., Nowotny-Czupryna, O., & Nowotny, J. (2012) · Ortopedia Traumatologia Rehabilitacja · doi:10.5604/15093492.992293 · Cited by 9
Editorial: Body Representations, Peripersonal Space, and the Self: Humans, Animals, Robots
Hoffmann, M., Lanillos, P., Jamone, L., Pitti, A., & Somogyi, E. (2020) · Frontiers in Neurorobotics · doi:10.3389/fnbot.2020.00035 · Cited by 9
Axenie, C., & Kurz, D. (2020) · Frontiers in Oncology · doi:10.3389/fonc.2020.01419 · Cited by 8
Dahiya, R., & Valle, M. (2012) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-0579-1_3 · Cited by 7
Enhanced processing of aversive stimuli on embodied artificial limbs by the human amygdala
Fourcade, A., Schmidt, T. T., Nierhaus, T., & Blankenburg, F. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-09603-0 · Cited by 9
Hand proximity facilitates spatial discrimination of auditory tones
Tseng, P. H., Yu, J., Tzeng, O. J. L., Hung, D. L., & Juan, C.-H. (2014) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00527 · Cited by 7
Keys, R. T., Rich, A. N., & Zopf, R. (2018) · Experimental Brain Research · doi:10.1007/s00221-018-5232-4 · Cited by 6
Altered EEG Signal Complexity Induced by Hand Proximity: A Multiscale Entropy Approach
Tseng, P. H., & Lo, Y. (2020) · Frontiers in Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnins.2020.562132 · Cited by 6
Daviaux, Y., Crémoux, S., Tallet, J., Amarantini, D., Cornu, C., & Deschamps, T. (2016) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.09.033 · Cited by 6
A Self-Organizing Model of the Visual Development of Hand-Centred Representations
Galeazzi, J. M., Mender, B. M. W., Paredes, M., Tromans, J. M., Evans, B. D., Minini, L., & Stringer, S. M. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0066272 · Cited by 5
Active Strategies for Multisensory Conflict Suppression in the Virtual Hand IllusionPreprint
Lanillos, P., Franklin, S., Maselli, A., & Franklin, D. W. (2020) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2020.07.08.191304 · Cited by 5
Body illusions for mental health: a systematic reviewPreprint
Matamala-Gomez, M., Maselli, A., Malighetti, C., Realdon, O., Mantovani, F., & Riva, G. (2020) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/mk69x · Cited by 5
Representations of body schemas for infant robot development
Shaw, P. H., Law, J., & Lee, M. (2015) · Joint IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning and Epigenetic Robotics · doi:10.1109/devlrn.2015.7346128 · Cited by 4
Do head-on-trunk signals modulate disengagement of spatial attention?
Chen, J., & Niemeier, M. (2013) · Experimental Brain Research · doi:10.1007/s00221-013-3727-6 · Cited by 4
Rethinking the Role of Motor Simulation in Perceptual Decisions
Grafton, S. T., & Viswanathan, S. (2014) · Advances in experimental medicine and biology · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-1338-1_6 · Cited by 4
Bio, B. J., & Graziano, M. S. A. (2021) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/7s8bk · Cited by 4
Self-citationThe Mind’s Eye: De-Mystifying ConsciousnessPreprint
Shkliarevsky, G. (2022) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4105608 · Cited by 4
What I grasp is what I control
Wolf, K. (2012) · International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI) · doi:10.1145/2148131.2148228 · Cited by 3
Lobben, M., & D’Ascenzo, S. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01299 · Cited by 3
Body models in humans, animals, and robots: mechanisms and plasticity
Hoffmann, M. (2021) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198851721.003.0010 · Cited by 5
Beyin Temelli Öğrenme Yaklaşımı Konulu Yüksek Lisans Tezlerine Yönelik Bir İçerik Analizi
Meral, M., & Akgül, G. D. (2022) · Buca eğitim fakültesi dergisi (Online)/Buca Eğitim Fakültesi dergisi · doi:10.53444/deubefd.898688 · Cited by 2
Short-lived effects of a visual inducer during egocentric space perception and manual behavior
Li, W., Matin, E., & Matin, L. (2013) · Attention Perception & Psychophysics · doi:10.3758/s13414-013-0455-8 · Cited by 2
Enhanced processing of aversive stimuli on embodied artificial limbs by the human amygdalaPreprint
Fourcade, A., Schmidt, T. T., Nierhaus, T., et al. (2021) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2021.06.14.448367 · Cited by 2
Cortical candidates for self-other distinction based on visual and action cues: Where do we stand?Preprint
Limanowski, J. (2025) · PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/jpbz2_v1 · Cited by 2
Aguiar, M., Pais-Vieira, C. F. D. S., Matos, D., et al. (2025) · Sensors · doi:10.3390/s25227050 · Cited by 1
Unexpected benefits of self-modelling in neural systems
Premakumar, V. N., Vaiana, M., Pop, F., Rosenblatt, J., de Lucena, D. S., Ziman, K., & Graziano, M. S. A. (2026) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences · doi:10.1098/rsta.2024.0531 · Cited by 10
Self-citationAvaliação da Interação Multissensorial na “Ilusão da Mão de Borracha”
Novaes, M. M., Gama, G. L., de Melo, J. T. R. V., de Araújo, D. P., & Franco, C. I. F. (2011) · Revista Neurociências · doi:10.34024/rnc.2011.v19.10373 · Cited by 1
Collaborating with a robot biases human spatial attention
Azzarà, G. S., Zonca, J., Rea, F., Song, J., & Sciutti, A. (2025) · iScience · doi:10.1016/j.isci.2025.112791 · Cited by 1
We Three: My Brain, My Homunculus, and Me
Klemm, W. R. (2020) · Journal of Psychology & Behavior Research · doi:10.22158/jpbr.v2n1p16 · Cited by 1
Quantifying body ownership information processing and perceptual bias in the rubber hand illusionPreprint
Lanfranco, R. C., Chancel, M., & Ehrsson, H. H. (2022) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/uw8gh · Cited by 1
Formation of Phantom Limbs Following Ischemic Nerve Block
Inui, N. (2016) · SpringerBriefs in biology · doi:10.1007/978-981-10-1460-4_2
Can We Induce a Cognitive Representation of a Prosthetic Arm by Means of Crossmodal Stimuli?
Franco, M., Ortiz, T. V., de Amorim, H. A., & Faber, J. (2016) · Advances in media, entertainment and the arts (AMEA) book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0510-5.ch011
Attention and memory-driven effects in action studies
Tseng, P. H., Lane, T. J., & Bridgeman, B. (2016) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x15002575
What makes us so certain that we’re conscious?
Graziano, M. S. A. (2020) · Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17588928.2020.1838468
Self-citationJęzykowe wykładniki propriocepcji w tańcu współczesnym: perspektywa kognitywna
Pędzisz, J., & Staniewski, P. (2020) · Prace Filologiczne · doi:10.32798/pf.693
Towards a “Brain-Guided” Cognitive Architecture
Mohan, V., Morasso, P., & Sandini, G. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-04924-3_7
(2004) · Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development · doi:10.1111/j.1540-5834.2004.00291.x
Lin, M. C., & Otaduy, M. Á. (2008) · A K Peters/CRC Press eBooks · doi:10.1201/b10636-31
(2004) · Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development · doi:10.1111/j.0037-976x.2004.00291.x
Iriki, A., & Bretas, R. V. (2020) · Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature · doi:10.3410/f.736552780.793577715
Can We Induce a Cognitive Representation of a Prosthetic Arm by Means of Crossmodal Stimuli?
Franco, M., Ortiz, T. V., de Amorim, H. A., & Faber, J. (2019) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/978-1-7998-1754-3.ch079
Avaliação da Interação Multissensorial na “Ilusão da Mão de Borracha”
Novaes, M. M., Gama, G. L., de Melo, J. T. R. V., et al. (2001) · Revista Neurociências · doi:10.34024/rnc.2011.v19.8401
What We Are for Us, What We Are for Others: Consciousness and Identity
López-Segura, P., & Alonso, T. O. (2023) · Logic, argumentation & reasoning · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-46742-4_12
Collaborative HRI Affects Human Visuospatial Processing and Body Schema Integration
Azzarà, G. S. (2025) · ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) · doi:10.1109/hri61500.2025.10974166
Ramezani, F., Saki, F., & Paydar, M. R. Z. (2025) · Journal of Clinical Research in Paramedical Sciences · doi:10.5812/jcrps-166347
Investigating Body Representation with Rubber Hand Illusion Paradigm and Its Variant
瞿, 珏. (2021) · Advances in Psychology · doi:10.12677/ap.2021.114099
Multisensorialité et kinesthésie : règles et substrats cérébraux de l'intégration multimodale
Blanchard, C. C. V. (2013) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/31d024acz0316z4dc7za32czeff4f77803dd
La construction du schéma corporel dans un cerveau en développement
Fontan, A. (2017) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/cd3cc99fz444az42edza564za00a8aa3e9f5
Les troubles de la perception du corps dans le Syndrome Douloureux Régional Complexe
Acapo, S. (2023) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/3174de3dz8e3ez425bz8bf8z3b92ada49232
Metadata
- Authors
- Graziano, M. S. A., & Botvinick, M. M.
- Venue
- Common Mechanisms in Perception and Action
- Publisher
- Oxford University PressOxford
- Published
- 2002-02-07
- Pages
- 136-157
- OpenAlex
- W4388285282
- Cited by
- 174
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 3.69
- Type
- book chapter
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Keywords
- representation of the body, body schema, proprioception, multimodal integration, cross-modal correspondence, spatial cognition, motor planning, limb position, somatosensory perception, vision, motor feedback
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review