Embodied

Embodied is an adjective meaning having a body or being formed in and through a body. It can refer to something that physically embodies a concept, such as a person who represents a role, or to phenomena that are inseparable from bodily experience.

In philosophy and cognitive science, the related term embodiment or embodied cognition argues that cognitive processes are shaped by the body's interactions with the world. Perception, action, and bodily states are not separate from thinking; the mind is studied as it operates through sensorimotor experience.

In sociology, anthropology, and health sciences, embodiment describes how social and cultural conditions become experienced within the body. Illness, pain, gender, and power relations can be understood as embodied states, while bodily practices can reproduce social meanings.

In technology and design, embodied AI and embodied agents refer to systems with a physical or simulated body that can sense and act in the world. This contrasts with disembodied software and affects human–computer interaction, robotics, and practical applications of artificial intelligence.

Etymology: embodied derives from en- (into) and body, with the sense of giving a body to or materializing into bodily form. The term appears in English use since the Middle Ages in reference to personification, representation, or physical manifestation.