Kroppsopplevelse

Kroppsopplevelse (Norwegian: "body experience") is a multidisciplinary concept that describes a person's lived sense of their own body. It encompasses sensory perceptions (proprioception, interoception), motor awareness, emotional reactions to bodily states, and the cognitive narratives people form about their physical selves. The term is used in psychology, phenomenology, medicine and allied health to capture how bodily presence is experienced in everyday life.

In phenomenological traditions, kroppsopplevelse emphasizes embodiment—the body as the primary site of perception and action rather than a mere object. In clinical and developmental contexts it addresses how bodily awareness emerges and changes across the lifespan and after injury or illness. Distinct but related constructs include body schema (unconscious sensorimotor maps) and body image (conscious attitudes and beliefs about the body).

Alterations in kroppsopplevelse are observed in conditions such as chronic pain, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, somatic symptom disorders, neurological injuries (stroke, amputation) and certain psychiatric disorders. Assessment methods range from qualitative interviews and self-report measures to experimental tasks (rubber hand illusion, proprioceptive tests) and physiological monitoring.

Interventions aiming to modify kroppsopplevelse include somatic therapies, sensorimotor rehabilitation, mindfulness and movement practices (yoga, dance), physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Research remains interdisciplinary, integrating neuroscience, psychology, clinical practice and cultural analysis to better understand how social, emotional and biological factors shape the subjective experience of the body.