autoperception

Autoperception is the perception of one’s own internal bodily states and actions, and of one’s mental states, from a first-person perspective. The term is not universally standardized; in psychology and neuroscience, related concepts such as proprioception, interoception, self-awareness, and metacognition are more commonly used. Autoperception emphasizes the subjective experience of internal signals and the monitoring of one’s own behavior and thoughts.

Core components include interoception, the perception of internal physiological states such as heart rate, respiration, hunger, and fullness; proprioception, the sense of body position and movement; and kinesthetic feedback related to movement. Metacognitive aspects involve awareness and evaluation of one’s own cognitive processes and emotions, sometimes described as introspection. Together, these processes contribute to a sense of agency, emotional regulation, and decision making.

Functions and significance: Autoperception supports regulation of emotion and physiology, informs a stable sense of self, guides behavior, and shapes how individuals interpret their own actions and experiences. It underpins clinical and everyday experiences of self-awareness, body awareness, and experiential continuity.

Development and variation: Interoceptive and proprioceptive abilities develop through childhood and can change with age, health, and training. Practices such as mindfulness and meditation can enhance interoceptive awareness. Variations are observed across individuals and can be influenced by anxiety, depression, autism spectrum conditions, and other clinical states.

Measurement and neuroscience: Interoceptive accuracy is often assessed with tasks such as heartbeat detection; neural correlates include the insular cortex and related networks involved in bodily awareness and emotional processing.

Terminology note: Because autoperception is not consistently defined, researchers may use terms like self-perception, self-awareness, interoception, or proprioception depending on context.