Interoception in the Determination of Reaction Times and Pulse Amplitude Sensitivity

Abstract

Interoception is the awareness of changes of sensation within the body. Over the years, interoception has been analyzed in the context of the perception of visceral activity and its effects on emotional regulation. There is little to no knowledge of how the interoceptive ability of an individual affects physical parameters such as Reaction Time (RT). Measures such as the MAIA-2 have been used to rank an individual’s interoceptive ability. The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) is an 8-scale state-trait questionnaire with 37 items to measure multiple dimensions of interoception by self-report. Participants (n = 29, x̄ = 21.4 years) in the study first completed the MAIA-2 and a series of tests to extrapolate measures of RT [ms], Reaction Time Variability (RTV) [ms], and the minimum differentiable pulse amplitude (lower limen) [um] of two stimuli. RT and RTV scores were compared to subscales scores of Noticing, Self-regulation, and Body-Listening. Non-Distracting, Non-Worrying, and Attention Regulation were compared to lower limen scores. External cues for these measures were presented with the Brain Gauge from Cortical Metrics. No correlations were found between the RT, RTV, lower limen, and their respective MAIA-2 categories. Clusters of data are evident for certain categories (i.e. RTV), however, they may be influenced by the age composition of the sample. Though there are no conclusive results, further post-testing along with more variable samples could reveal connections between self-perception and interactions with the environment.