How does the concept of embodiment relate to the experience of pregnancy?5 answersThe concept of embodiment plays a crucial role in shaping the experience of pregnancy. Various studies highlight how pregnant women navigate their embodied experiences, challenging societal norms and medical discourses. Women's accounts of sensing foetal movement underscore the ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding pregnancy, contrasting clinical depictions. Additionally, women with disabilities in the perinatal period and early motherhood experience embodiment through the lens of disability, subverting traditional expectations and reimagining the pregnant body. Furthermore, the use of 'photovoice' methods reveals how pregnant women in Australia negotiate their breastedness and maternity wear, showcasing individual embodied experiences during pregnancy. These insights collectively emphasize the complex interplay between societal perceptions, bodily sensations, and personal agency in the embodied experience of pregnancy.
How does embodiment affect human cognition?4 answersEmbodiment has a significant impact on human cognition. It challenges the traditional view of cognition as a process that relies on abstract symbols and internal mental representations. Instead, embodied cognition proposes that concepts are grounded in sensorimotor states and cognitive processes are shaped by sensorimotor engagement with the environment. Sensorimotor experiences of actions form the basis of linguistic and nonlinguistic understanding, suggesting that embodiment is central to cognition. However, the effect of embodiment on cognitive performance is not always positive. For example, concurrent walking while encoding or recalling spatial information can impair working memory performance, particularly in older adults. Overall, embodiment theories emphasize the active role of the living body in shaping human cognition and language, challenging dualistic and abstract representation-based approaches. Further research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms and limitations of embodiment in cognition.
What is the concept of embodiment in robotics?5 answersEmbodiment in robotics refers to the idea that the physical body and its interaction with the environment play a crucial role in intelligent behavior. It is the study of how the physical properties of a robot's body can contribute to its cognitive abilities and behavior. Embodied cognitive robotics focuses on designing artificial agents that can autonomously perform cognitive tasks by taking advantage of their physical embodiment. Living beings, including humans and animals, utilize the physico-mechanical properties of their bodies to create natural motion patterns. Embodiment is not just about having a body, but also about the connection between the brain, body, and environment, and the role of sensory-motor coordination in inducing information structure in sensory data. By exploiting embodiment, robots can be simpler, more robust, and adaptive, as morphology and materials can take over some control functions, a phenomenon known as "morphological computation".
What is embodiment and phenomenology?5 answersEmbodiment refers to the lived experience and immanence of the human condition within a specific historical and geographical context. It emphasizes sensory habitus, bodily ways of knowing, and the material-social dimension of humanity. Embodiment is not just an abstract philosophical project, but also has practical and applied ethics, particularly in marginalized communities. It recognizes the scientific and humanistic value of compassion. Phenomenology, on the other hand, focuses on the study of consciousness and the ways in which individuals experience and perceive the world. It emphasizes the importance of sensory perception and the role of the body in shaping our understanding of architecture and the environment.
Which role has embodiment for virtual reality?5 answersEmbodiment plays a significant role in virtual reality (VR) experiences. It has been found that embodiment positively affects immersion, enjoyment, and the intention to engage with the virtual environment. In the context of VR film production, the role of an Embodiment Director has been proposed to ensure the precise synchronization between physical and virtual counterparts, as well as the safe use of software and hardware throughout the production process. Studies have shown that the addition of supernumerary body parts in a virtual environment can lead to participants perceiving them as part of their own body, resulting in a feeling of acquiring a new body part. In the realm of interactive media, such as VR games, the diegetic aspect of audio and different approaches to it can impact players' sense of embodiment and willingness to suspend disbelief. Embodiment in VR has also found applications in healthcare, with the potential to improve training, simulations, and design, particularly for the aging population.
What is embodiment?5 answersEmbodiment refers to the role of the body in an individual's lived experience and cognitive abilities. It emphasizes the immanence of the human condition and the sensory, bodily, and material-social dimensions of humanity within a specific context. The term suggests a return to the body or a physical realm that was previously separated from it. It is motivated by the idea that embodiment can provide insights and explanations where disembodied approaches fall short. Embodiment can be seen as a practical and applied ethics, particularly in the context of marginalized communities, emphasizing compassion and the value of scientific and humanistic approaches. The concept of embodiment has been explored in various fields, including philosophy, artificial intelligence, and social cognition. It has theoretical and experimental consequences that lead to an enactive and ecological approach to perception.