Ease of Retrieval Determines the Psychological Distance from Bodily Sensations

This study investigated the role of ease of retrieval in forming psychological distance from bodily sensations. In body‐oriented psychotherapies, such as Focusing, an appropriate subjective distance from one's internal experiences has been associated with feelings of therapeutic success and relaxation. On the basis of previous studies, we hypothesized that more easily recalled experiences are perceived as psychologically closer, and we examined this hypothesis through a pilot study and a main experiment. In the experiment, 155 participants were assigned to either an easy or a difficult retrieval condition. After completing a task in which they recalled bodily sensations, their perceived psychological distance from the sensations was measured. The results showed that participants in the easy‐retrieval condition perceived their bodily sensations to be significantly closer than those in the difficult retrieval condition. This finding was supported by multiple regression analyses. These results suggest that the ease of retrieval may contribute to the perceived psychological distance from bodily sensations. The theoretical and practical implications for developing safer and more agentic engagement with bodily sensations are discussed.