Sensitivity in psychology is what, definition, examples

Sensitivity is a human characteristic that expresses increased, individual sensitivity to external events and is accompanied by anxiety before new incidents. Sensitivity is expressed in such individual traits as shyness, timidity, increased impressionability, low self-esteem, harsh self-criticism, a tendency to prolonged worries, and an inferiority complex.

With age, high sensitivity can decrease, since a person, in the process of self-education, can overcome anxiety about upcoming events.

The level of sensitivity is determined by the innate characteristics of a person (heredity, organic lesions of the brain) or the characteristics (conditions) of raising a child.

In psychology, the concept of sensitivity is used together with the synonyms “sensitivity” and “sensitivity”. Along with this, there is also the phenomenon of “insensitivity”; it is expressed in the lack of reaction to events, emotions and actions of people, and assessments. Insensitivity is manifested in complete indifference, lack of physical sensations, tactlessness and inattention to others.

The concept of sensitivity in psychology

In psychology, sensitivity is a wide range of mental processes associated with a person’s increased perception of events. Translated from Latin, “sensitivity” means a feeling or sensation, which in psychology has both negative and positive characteristics of attitude towards various situations.

The most striking examples of sensitivity:

• fear of the new;
• low pain barrier;
• self-criticism and increased self-reflection;
• shyness, fear of criticism and closedness;
• low self-esteem, feelings of unworthiness and excessive demands on oneself;
• impressionability and strong feelings about even minor events (positive and negative);
• ability to establish relationships with others;
• building in the past due to bad experiences.

Such a sensitive person can be either timid and insecure or a confident leader. It all depends on what kind of sensitivity we are talking about and how a person is aware of his strengths and weaknesses.

For example, the most striking advantages of controlled sensitivity are the following character traits:

• high moral standards and social responsibility of a person;
• kindness and kindness;
• empathy, that is, readiness to empathize;
• the ability to detect subtle aspects in interpersonal communication and non-verbal expression;
• ability to build teamwork and quickly resolve conflicts.

Thus, sensitivity can have positive sides - if you know how to show them. That is why there are trainings and exercises to increase sensitivity and empathy. But you also need to take into account that with age, sensitivity can either decrease or increase, so everything largely depends on a person’s self-awareness and self-control.

Why does sensitive character accentuation develop?

There are several reasons for the development. In the vast majority of cases, there is a social component. The biological factor is of secondary importance. As for the immediate triggers.

Dominant mother

One of the main reasons why a sensitive type of character is formed. A tyrant mother tries to control the actions of her child. It doesn't matter whether it's a daughter or a son. As a result, self-doubt and fear develop. A person tries to please his mother so as not to become a victim of violence - verbal, and often physical in the early years. Sensitivity and sensitivity become a defensive reaction, one of the options. The child has to feel the mother’s mood very subtly, since a tyrannical woman depends on her mood. All her actions are impulsive. Often, especially if the mother is narcissistic, epileptoid, sensitivity reaches borderline personality disorder. Before real psychopathology. In this case, specialized treatment is needed.

Imperative type of education in general

Not only a mother can be a tyrant. A father or stepfather has an equally negative, destructive influence. Provided that he shows open aggression - he hits the child, scolds him with or without reason. Hidden aggression is also dangerous. Like “you upset me, try to guess why.” Often a narcissistic mother resorts to this style of behavior. Such manipulations do not end well, especially for young people. In the future, it becomes difficult to overcome your negative attitudes, habits and character traits. And in some cases it is almost impossible if we are talking about full-fledged psychopathy. When working with a psychologist, it is possible to achieve results in 95% of cases.

Permissiveness

The next type of negative parenting model. In this case, the diametrically opposite happens. Parents do not pay attention to the child at all, they turn him into an adult. He is forced to solve his problems himself. In this case, options are possible. Or a person becomes like an independent adult and takes on a role beyond his strength. Or he tries to get into the good graces of his parents, feel their mood and adapt to the situation. Both cases lead to devastating consequences for the psyche and the development of negative behavior patterns in the future. The only way to avoid developing negative traits is to give your child enough attention.

Negative experiences in the past

Applies more to teenagers. Children aged 9 to 18 years show aggression much more often. Irreconcilable and intolerant. Therefore, sensitive people and those prone to hypersensitivity often have problems. This is especially true for the male part of the population, since it is in such groups that rank wars occur. The weak, or those who seem so, are sure to find themselves on the sidelines, under ridicule. And that's the best case scenario. Physical violence, including serious injury, often occurs.

A person is unable to cope with this, so he withdraws and becomes a closed sensitive person, who is very difficult to draw out of his shell. A negative environment causes even greater social rejection in a man with sensitive accentuation. Personality traits become more acute. Severe psychopathology at the level of borderline development, psychopathy, is possible.

Congenital hereditary characteristics. Genetics

Often the reason for the accentuation of character, and any one, is congenital conditioning. Although personality is not directly passed on from parents and grandparents to children, certain tendencies are still inherited. This must be kept in mind during self-assessment or diagnosis by a professional psychologist.

Psychopathological conditions

In some cases, sensitivity may be confused with mental illnesses. For example, increased sensitivity is possible in some psychopaths, patients with schizophrenia in the early stages of the disorder. Neurotics also often find themselves in the same boat as other sensitive people. This also needs to be taken into account. First, a series of tests are performed to rule out psychopathology. Only then can we talk about the variant of the norm and the origin of the condition.

Low self-esteem

In some cases, cause and effect are reversed. A sensitive personality type does not always cause insufficient self-esteem. It also happens the other way around. In such a situation, a person feels flawed, unworthy of the attention of others or any benefits. Accordingly, negative feelings intensify and a negative worldview develops. The patient is prone to hypersensitivity. Although this does not always happen. It is possible to disguise one’s own personality and its features with imaginary aggression, feigned masculinity, masculinity. A sensitive person is a person of contradiction. Often he becomes an actor in order not to be a victim, to fit into society at least partially.

The classic example of a sensitive person from psychological literature is a melancholic person by temperament. He is constantly depressed and dreams most of the time. Responsive and kind to the whole world. Moreover, in some cases he is prone to veneration and servility.

Reasons for appearance

Sensitivity is a common description in psychology of human qualities, the causes of which can be several.

The most common of them come from the family and the characteristics of upbringing:

• emotional dryness of parents, need for affection and care;
• violence in family;
• categoricalness and strict rules of education;
• excessive discipline.

Genetic predispositions also play an equally important role, such as:

• neuroses, depression;
• heredity;
• brain injury during the perinatal period or at birth;
• mental illness;
• anxiety disorders.

Also, the reason for increased sensitivity may be the social circle, especially during the critical period of growing up, when authority and imitation of it are an important part of behavior:

• inability to satisfy the desire to be approved (by parents, teacher);
• conflicts among children and rejection by the team.

All this develops an inferiority complex and a hypersensitive perception of reality, that is, sensitivity.

Sensitivity as a personality quality and a property of temperament. Signs and examples

In psychology, sensitivity is an important characteristic of a person’s perception of the world, as well as a set of stable human properties that influence the formation of temperament, speed of reactions and resistance to stress.

Therefore, the influence of mild stimuli and a person’s violent reaction to them are examples of high sensitivity. On the other hand, sensitivity is a vivid expression of a melancholic personality, vulnerable and worried for a long time, even over trifles and fictions. The most striking example of a sensitive person is Pierrot from the cartoon about Malvina: he suffers all the time and worries excessively.

Sensitivity in psychology

On the opposite hand, a person who has low sensitivity, that is, good resistance to stress and adequate reactions to events, has a good level of resistance - increased emotional stability. Such character traits are more characteristic of phlegmatic and sanguine people, that is, calm and balanced people. On the other hand, phlegmatic and sanguine people may seem stubborn, and it would be good for them to develop sensitivity.

Sensitivity is a description in personality psychology of two completely different categories of information perception, such as emotional sensitivity and sensory perception. These are concepts that largely influence the character and professional qualities of each person.

Sensitivity of the emotional sphere

One of the most striking signs of a person’s excessive sensitivity is increased sensitivity, emotional experiences, which can often be caused by minor events, fears or anxiety.

Sensitivity of the emotional sphere in the psychology of sensitivity is a type of stable excessive manifestation of reactions to various situations, which can have different forms, such as:

• mood swings;
• low self-esteem;
• amorousness;
• anxiety, phobias;
• long-term experience of one’s own failures;
• self-examination and excessive self-criticism;
• empathy and compassion for the problems of others.

Sensitive people are not only prone to melancholic periods and depressive states, they are also people with a high empathic component, sometimes very excessive. Psychologists believe that any unbalanced strong feelings, characteristic of sensitive people, do not pass without a trace and over time manifest themselves in the development of phobias, frustrations, nervousness, depression and emotional burnout.

Sensitivity of the touch sphere

If the sensitivity of the emotional sphere in sensitivity denotes the intensity of a person’s reaction to events, then the sensitivity of the sensory sphere is used to describe 5 ways of perceiving information and their intensity, namely: touch, smell, vision, hearing and taste.

Even without an active cognitive reaction, that is, a person’s exaggeration of events, the sensitivity of these 5 sensitive sensors can be considered as a separate type of sensitivity and described by the concept of “sensitivity threshold”.

For example, hypersensitivity, or low sensitivity, to sound is commonly seen in musicians and blind people, there is also increased sensitivity to smell due to allergies or pregnancy, sensitivity to light can be a feature of the eyeball, and artists have well-developed sensitivity to shade. colors and shape features.

Thus, sensory sensitivity is a great advantage for the development of professional skills or adaptation to external circumstances in comparison with emotional sensitivity, and it can also be developed.

Possibility of communication

If there is no mental trauma that aggravates the accentuation of character, then in communication a person of this type can be fully realized. Especially if it concerns personal or intimate relationships. If you are communicating with an overly sensitive person, then remember:

• he will not change even with great love.

His character traits are too strong;

• but he will remain faithful to you (whether your husband or girlfriend), even to the detriment of himself.

Therefore, when communicating with a sensitive type, try not to abuse his attitude. Such people have strong patience, but not endless: they leave once and for all;

• he can sacrifice his interests for the sake of others and simply for the sake of the common cause.

If you want to be closer to this person, then try not to abuse his sacrifice;

• it doesn't conflict.

From the word “absolutely”. People with this psychotype try their best to prevent any dispute. However, due to unexpressed emotions, psychosomatic diseases - asthma, diabetes, oncology - can develop over time. For this reason, when communicating with such a person, try not to leave anything unsaid, but resolve all issues directly and honestly;

• create comfort at home if your husband is a sensitive type.

A calm, cozy atmosphere helps restore the vitality of sensitive people, thanks to which they can work effectively, engage in creativity, and build relationships.

• In general, people with sensitive personality types can make excellent friends and life partners.

They have negative traits - constant anxiety, a tendency towards apathy and boredom, but they are offset by a constant desire to help and kindness. Such people by their nature are not capable of meanness.

Types of sensitivity

Depending on the direction in psychology, sensitivity is perceived differently: as the ability to perceive information (emotional and sensory sensitivity), and as a feature of temperament, where social sensitivity is distinguished, consisting of 4 types :

Thus, although balanced emotional sensitivity helps to cope with one’s own experiences, it is these 4 types of social sensitivity that are the key to success in professional growth. An important property of social sensitivity is overcoming the feeling of fear of society, communicating with other people, overcoming the inferiority complex characteristic of many people.

In psychology, it is believed that it is with the awareness of one’s inferiority that social sensitivity begins to develop - this is the willingness to overcome the fear of publicity, the desire to resolve conflict situations or find a way to improve relationships with new acquaintances.

Classification of related personality types

In addition to emotional and social sensitivity, psychologists identify related types of behavior that relate to personal characteristics of temperament.

Sensitivity of temperament substantiates the personal qualities of a person, outside the spectrum of his emotional response to events and behavior in the social environment. Sensitiveness of temperament describes certain character traits, which in psychology are better known as melancholic, as well as depressive states of varying complexity. On the other hand, such hypersensitivity is not particularly characteristic of other types of temperament, that is, choleric, phlegmatic and sanguine.

The most common qualities of temperament that are described in the characteristics of sensitivity are the following human traits:

• strong impressionability;
• vulnerability;
• anxiety;
• suspiciousness;
• touchiness;
• self-criticism;
• inferiority complex.

Symptoms

A sensitive person can be recognized in childhood: sensitivity disorder can manifest itself either in the form of its exacerbation or lack of sensitivity. The formation of sensitivity can be influenced by anything or even a whole complex of factors, such as heredity, possible organic damage to brain structures, educational measures used by parents, as well as certain age stages of life. Violations can also occur at the level of temperament, which, in essence, is only the speed of reactions to the world around us , to nervous stimuli. It follows that sensitivity cannot be considered a disease. Melancholic people are more often than others sensitive individuals. Their suspiciousness and anxiety are extremely high.

It is very difficult to bear grievances, even minor ones.

Already in childhood, a sensitive person has a tendency to low self-esteem; later it can develop into high self-demands (demands for oneself) against the background of a reduced level of aspirations. In most cases, children outgrow this condition without significant consequences. In its extreme form, sensitivity becomes psychopathy.

What are sensitive periods?

Sensitivity as a concept in psychology is also characterized by age characteristics. The idea of ​​sensitivity in developmental psychology describes peak and important moments in the development of mental functions of the individual in a given period. Sensitive periods are most pronounced in childhood and adolescence.

Child psychologists argue that the child’s psyche is more sensitive to the perception of the outside world, has less resistance and, because of this, is not only more impressionable, but also more capable of learning basic skills for living in society. The child’s development itself is progressive and uneven, so sensitive periods do not always occur, but they critically influence the formation of one or another human function and skill.

For example, the sensitive period for speech formation is the age from 0 to 6 years, when the child is actively learning speech skills. During this time, he unconsciously adopts the speech habits of his environment - vocabulary, grammar and dialectisms, and begins to master written speech.

From 6 to 10 years of age, sensitivity manifests itself in the learning process and in the development of discipline. This period is critical for the formation of the type of thinking and the development of basic cognitive functions - writing, reading, abstract concepts, mathematics and reflection.

At the age of 10, adolescence begins, the sensitivity of which is aimed at developing self-knowledge and self-esteem, separating oneself from collective perception. Critical skills during this period are the development of communication, the formation of one’s own worldview and value system.

Age sensitivity

The importance of developing a particular personal skill during a sensitive period is justified by the most acceptable biological and social need. In case of unsatisfactory development of skills during the sensitive period (communication, discipline, speech or writing), developing them at a later age will be possible, but more difficult.

Also, the unsatisfactory development of mental skills during a particular sensitive period can contribute to the development of mental problems: if a child does not speak on time, he may have problems communicating with other children, which will develop into a feeling of inferiority.

Age sensitivity and its timely use are considered by psychologists to be the key to the harmonious development of a child, his behavior, psyche, skills and talents. Age sensitivity in the learning process was developed in more detail by the Italian teacher and pedagogue Maria Montessori, who identified 7 critical periods of children’s age development:

• speech development (up to 6 years);
• development of perception of order (up to 3 years);
• sensory perception (up to 5 years);
• development of motor skills and plasticity (from 1 to 4 years);
• recognition and study of small objects (from 1 to 7 years);
• phonemic sensitivity (4 to 5 years);
• sensitive period for the development of writing skills (from 6 to 8 years).

Thus, age sensitivity is an important factor that should be taken into account during childhood growth and socialization.

Personal relationships of the sensitive

Sensitivity is also an important factor in compatibility in a couple: people with different levels of perception and emotional experience can rarely get along and respect each other’s boundaries.

It often happens that a person with increased emotional sensitivity will withdraw even more into himself and his anxiety will increase due to the fear of breaking up the relationship. On the other hand, if a person has low social sensitivity, he will be afraid to violate the boundaries of his partner and thereby embarrass both of them with understatements.

Thus, taking into account sensitivity at the everyday and emotional level of a couple is an important aspect of building a harmonious relationship.

Education

They study diligently so that they don’t have to feel ashamed of their poor performance in front of the whole class. If classmates offend you and you can’t establish contact with them, they still refuse to move to another school.

Adaptation is not easy, which is why it is easier for them to endure bullying than to adapt to new conditions again, to get used to other complete strangers.

When called to the board and asked something, they are ready to receive a low mark, despite the fact that they know the answer, just so as not to have to squeeze it out of themselves in front of everyone. Therefore, their written work is usually excellent, but their oral work is not so good.

It seems to them that if they utter even one word in public, their classmates will laugh at them and, in general, the whole school will subsequently tease them.

Or they will tell everything they know, get a good grade, and others will consider this act as an attempt to stand out and begin to persecute and mock.

Career and professional activities

The sensitivity factor can also be used for proper career development. On the one hand, understanding your own emotional sensitivity allows you to improve stress resistance and not succumb to excessive self-criticism and the influence of negative thinking.

On the other hand, the development of social sensitivity is a key skill in modern professional activity, ensuring successful communication with others, the ability to build relationships and find a common language with colleagues.

Sensitivity: treat or develop?

Sensitivity in psychology is an ambiguous concept; it can be either a useful quality of a person’s character or a negative property of the psyche. On the one hand, sensitivity helps to develop important skills and personality traits, and on the other hand, it can contribute to mental disorders (neuroses, depression and panic attacks).

Despite its ambiguity, sensitivity is part of a full human life. Therefore, if you have a positive attitude towards it, and be able to balance the level of sensitivity, this will become an important aspect of life experience. That is why today there are many different courses and trainings that help develop perception skills, improve the skills of empathy, communication, observation and form adequate self-criticism - important aspects of professional activity.

Therefore, if you treat your own sensitivity responsibly and analyze in time which tendencies are more inherent to a person, positive or destructive, this will become an important factor in improving life.

How to use sensitivity to your advantage

With the help of increased sensitivity, you can achieve the following good goals that will help a person in life.

For example, perfectionism will help you maintain order in everything (at home, in the workplace, in personal affairs). A person will not spend extra time searching or organizing, and will be more productive and efficient.

The ability to perceive small details will help a sensitive person in professions that require clarity, attentiveness and perseverance. It is worth trying yourself in such areas of activity, and high sensitivity will help an individual build a career and grow as a specialist.

High communication skills allow a sensitive person to have many acquaintances whom they can turn to in a difficult life situation or simply have a good time together.

Do you think it’s possible to use sensitivity to your advantage? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Is there a need for special treatment and personality correction for sensitive people?

If sensitivity does not cause any inconvenience to a person, then nothing needs to be adjusted. When sensitivity begins to interfere with your career, psychological well-being and social interaction, it is worth contacting a professional psychologist.

Sensitivity training

Thus, simple cognitive behavioral therapy exercises can help keep sensitivity within a reasonable range. Moreover, these exercises help maintain awareness in difficult situations and in case of any psycho-emotional deviations, and not slide into emotional burnout or depression.

The most popular exercises for group sensitivity training are the following:

Thus, sensitivity training can help improve attention, memory and perception in every person. On the other hand, there are also trainings that help reduce excessive emotional sensitivity, which also interferes with productive work and building relationships.

Recommendations

• To increase your self-esteem, you should engage in activities that bring pleasure and interest. Typically, sensitive people try to develop their weak points, which is why they go into aggressive sports, try to build a career, often speaking in front of the public, and so on. This is called overcompensation, that is, a person seems to be trying to prove to himself that he is able to cope with his weaknesses, that he is not a coward. If you like reading books, cross-stitching and playing the guitar, spend time on these activities instead of jumping with a hated parachute, boxing competitions, wrestling, etc.
• If your child has such a sensitive character, handle him carefully; hardening and preparing for a harsh social life can turn into failure, only increasing the development of phobic disorders.
• Work on your self-esteem, it should definitely be increased. Then you will be able to achieve a feeling of inner harmony, torment and anxiety will go away. Excessive demands on yourself will not help you become better, but will only hasten the appearance of neurosis and other mental disorders.
• Learn to rely on your feelings and desires, without adjusting to others. You can’t please everyone in the world, but you can ruin your life by pushing your own ambitions into the background.
• Dose the loads of such a child, otherwise, having made a mistake due to fatigue, he will decide that he is a loser. Avoid being overly protective of him, give him the opportunity to gain experience and learn something. Because by doing his job, you will only confirm his ideas about insignificance and inability to cope with difficulties on his own.

Drug therapy

Sensitivity is a natural property of every person, of varying degrees of intensity. Psychology also provides different ways to work on individual sensitivity - from reducing it to increasing it. However, there is also an extreme form of therapy – medication.

This is specialized care that is used only in cases of severe emotional and psychological disturbance of the nervous system. Typically, treatment is aimed at restoring hormonal levels and is carried out under the supervision of a specialist.