Introduction and Overview

Abstract

Although we are all familiar with headaches, tense muscles, racing hearts, and other bodily sensations, we rarely consider the factors involved in their definition or perception. A physical symptom or sensation¹ is a perception, feeling, or even belief about the state of our body. The sensation is often—but not always—based on physiological activity. Above all, a physical symptom or sensation represents information about internal state. As such, symptoms are related to virtually all behaviors, whether drinking, eating, sleeping, taking drugs, or health seeking. Sensations, then, are both causes and effects of behavior. They often initiate activity as well as signal that an activity has occurred. In short, the processes of noticing and reporting symptoms are highly adaptive and functional for the individual. If people accurately perceived their physiological activity, there would be no need for a book on the psychology of physical symptoms. As will be discussed, symptom reporting is subject to a large number of perceptual biases and distortions. If we are to understand the failures of self-regulation as related to symptom reporting, we must first examine the nature of the symptom-reporting process in normally functioning humans.