The project, led by Prof. Dr. Silja Vocks at the University of Osnabrück, is seeking participants aged 16 and older who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder, as well as mentally healthy individuals to serve as a control group. The study is designed as a purely online survey and consists of several questionnaires. The total duration of the study is approximately 45 minutes, and participants who complete the entire study will receive a gift certificate worth 10 euros. 

Previous research on eating disorders has primarily focused on the perception and evaluation of one’s own body through the visual sense—that is, sight. In such studies, participants were asked to look at and assess themselves in photographs or their own reflection in a mirror. While the sense of sight undeniably plays a major role in the perception of one’s own body, other senses have received less attention in research to date. “At the same time, we know that people inevitably and constantly perceive their own bodies in everyday life through all their other senses: We hear what our footsteps sound like in the hallway, what our voice sounds like, how our joints crack, and how our stomach growls,” explains psychologist Linda Sadowski. “We may also smell our own sweat, our freshly washed hair, or our skin when we thoughtfully touch our face with our hand. Last but not least, we also sense our body through our sense of touch. We’re aware of our thighs against the chair, notice that our skin feels dry today, or that our pants are scratching our legs,” adds psychologist Lea Faesing. However, it remains unclear whether all these sensory impressions we perceive actually influence how we evaluate our own bodies and whether they might play a role in negative body image among people with eating disorders. 

Those interested can participate in the survey via the following link:  https://kpp-limesurvey.psy.uni-osnabrueck.de/index.php?r=survey/index&sid=459825&lang=de

Additional information for the media:
Linda Sadowski, M.Sc. Psych., and Lea Faesing, M.Sc. Psych. 
University of Osnabrück, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
 kpp-sensed@uni-osnabrueck.de
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