Inverted binocular phenomenon
Disowning Pain Phenomenon (or "Inverted binocular phenomenon") is the subject of a recent research done by Oxford University. It suggests that distorting the body image can change the way we feel it. For example, when we see an organ through inverted binoculars, it looks smaller than what they really is, and it may reduce the pain felt from that organ.[1]
It has been found that the body image can have an important effect on how we perceive our bodies. In other words, the way we see and perceive our body can affect the way we feel it.
In a research performed by Lorimer Moseley of Oxford University, 10 participants were studied, all of whom were suffering from chronic pain in their right arms which was intensified by movement. The patients were asked to move their arm under two different conditions: first with a binocular which could magnify body organs, and then with an inverted binocular which could minify them. They also asked to rate their pain they felt when doing so. The result was surprising: there was an obvious relation between the size of organs seen by binocular and the way they felt; the bigger the limbs were seen, the more the pain was. The results become more interesting when it was found that magnifying and minifying with binoculars can even change the extent of swelling.[2]
These researches shown that alterations in the way we perceive our body. For example, seeing the organs larger or smaller than what they really are can have a significant effect on experiencing bodily pains. However, its exact reason is not clear yet.
Some theories suggests that magnifying the body image can enhance its sensations.[3]
Some explain it as a change in sense of "ownership" of limbs, i.e. minifying them will lead to disowning feelings by that person.[4]