Illusory body

Okay kiddo, have you ever played with one of those magical mirrors that makes your body look really long or really short? It's pretty cool, right?

Well, our brain can do something similar all on its own! Sometimes it can make us feel like we have a different body than we actually do. This is called an illusory body.

Here's an example: Have you ever heard of the Rubber Hand Illusion? It's a fun experiment where someone hides your real hand and places a fake rubber hand in front of you. Then, they use a brush to stroke the fake hand and your hidden real hand at the same time. After a little while, your brain starts to think that the fake hand is actually part of your body!

It can feel like the fake hand is your own, even though you know it's not. This is a type of illusory body experience.

Illusory bodies can happen in other situations too. For example, some people who lose a limb in an accident might still feel like their missing arm or leg is there. This is because the brain is used to getting signals from that part of the body, and it can take a while for the brain to realize that the limb is gone. So, the brain can create an illusory body sensation.

Overall, an illusory body is when our brain makes us feel like our body is different than it actually is. It might seem weird, but it's all just part of how our brain works!