Sensory processing sensitivity

"Highly sensitive person" redirects here. For highly empathetic people, see empath.
This article is about the personality trait characterizing highly sensitive persons (HSPs). For the distinct but similarly-named disorder, see Sensory processing disorder.
Characteristics of SPS as graphically summarized by Greven et al. (review article, 2019)[1] A person with a high measure of SPS is said to be a highly sensitive person (HSP).[2][3]
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Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a temperamental or personality trait involving "an increased sensitivity of the central nervous system and a deeper cognitive processing of physical, social, and emotional stimuli".[2] The trait is characterized by "a tendency to 'pause to check' in novel situations, greater sensitivity to subtle stimuli, and the engagement of deeper cognitive processing strategies for employing coping actions, all of which is driven by heightened emotional reactivity, both positive and negative".[3]

A human with a particularly high measure of SPS is considered to have "hypersensitivity", or be a highly sensitive person (HSP).[2][3] The terms SPS and HSP were coined in the mid-1990s by psychologists Elaine Aron and her husband Arthur Aron, who developed the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) questionnaire by which SPS is measured.[4] Other researchers have applied various other terms to denote this responsiveness to stimuli that is seen in humans and other species.[5]

According to the Arons and colleagues, people with high SPS make up about 15–20% of the population.[2] Although some researchers consistently related high SPS to negative outcomes,[3][6] other researchers have associated it with increased responsiveness to both positive and negative influences.[7][8][9][10] Aron and colleagues state that the high-SPS personality trait is not a disorder.[11][12]

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  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Boterberg2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Booth2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference AronAronJPSP1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference WolfEmergenceResponsive2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Liss2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference DiffSuscep2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference BoyceReview2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference BoyceEllisBSCorchidDandelion2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference VantageSens2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference JournalJung2006 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference 201804AcevedoHSBrainVsDisorders was invoked but never defined (see the help page).