Fantomkropp

Fantomkropp is a concept used in neurology, psychology, and speculative fiction to describe a body representation that persists or appears independent of the physical body. It denotes experiences of a body form that may differ in size, location, or integrity from the actual body, or the presence of a digital avatar that serves as a stand-in in virtual environments. The term combines fantom, from phantom, with kropp, meaning body, and is most common in Scandinavian discussions of embodiment and virtual presence.

In science, fantomkropp relates to the study of body schema and ownership. Phantom limb phenomena show that the brain maintains a coherent body representation after limb loss, and similar mechanisms can generate sensations of a phantom torso or whole-body presence. In virtual reality and telepresence research, synchronized visual, proprioceptive, and tactile cues can induce a sense of ownership over a virtual body, a phenomenon that informs both therapy and the design of immersive systems.

In culture and fiction, fantomkropp is used to explore questions of identity, embodiment, and the boundaries between self and avatar. It appears in speculative narratives that imagine digital selves, afterlives, or transhuman bodies, and is discussed in debates about the ethics and psychology of virtual existence.

See also: phantom limb, body image, embodiment, virtual reality, telepresence.