Interoception concerns bodily signals; introspection concerns examining one's thoughts and mental experience. A reflection can include both, but interpreting a sensation is different from simply noticing it.
Compare the operations, not a score
| Question or field | Fictional completed example |
|---|---|
| Interoceptive entry? | Abdominal sensation |
| Introspective entry? | I am thinking about the deadline |
| Interpretation? | Maybe connected |
| Unknown? | Cause |
| Next step? | Keep observation and explanation separate |
A worked situation: Abdominal sensation
Fictional example. A reader notices an abdominal sensation, then reflects that a deadline worries her. The two entries can coexist without proving the worry caused the sensation.
Keep a signal and a reflection in different cells
An internal sensation is one entry; a thought about what it means is another. Everyday introspection can consider motives, memories, or decisions as well as bodily experience. This terminology comparison helps label the question, but it does not prove perception accuracy, a medical cause, or a condition. Keep "unknown" available in both columns.