The emotional sphere of a person is rich and varied. We are able not only to feel, but also to sympathize, not only to experience, but also to empathize with other people. All this is available to every person, but there are individuals among us whose emotional sphere is unusually sensitive. Psychologists call them sensitives. However, sensitivity to one degree or another may be present in many, so let’s figure out what it is.
Sensitivity as a personality trait
This concept comes from the Latin word sensus – “feeling” and is translated as sensitivity. In psychology, the term “sensitivity” refers to several closely related phenomena. They are united by a connection with an increased susceptibility to external influences.
Sensitivity of the emotional sphere
When defining and assessing sensitivity, misunderstandings often arise due to the ambiguous meaning of this term, more precisely, due to the fact that the concept of “feeling” in psychology has two meanings. First, feelings are a kind of emotional states, rather stable emotional reactions of a person to various life situations, objects, other people and oneself. In this regard, sensitivity is understood as heightened sensitivity or strong and often inadequate emotional experiences. They are associated with a whole range of personality traits, such as:
- frequent mood swings;
- a tendency to experience even minor troubles and failures for a long time;
- increased anxiety, often developing into phobias;
- low self-esteem;
- a tendency to frequent reflection and self-examination;
- amorousness;
- resentment, etc.
These qualities together create the image of a kind of classic melancholic Pierrot – an eternally suffering and experiencing person. But the sensitive not only gets upset all the time because of any nonsense, he is able to react sensitively to the change in the mood of the people around him and to empathize with them. Such people often suffer more than they do because of the problems of their loved ones. Sensitives, accepting the burden of the experiences of others, become for friends an irreplaceable “vest” in which you can always cry.
Such emotional stress and the tendency to blame oneself for all troubles do not pass without leaving a trace for the sensitive. They more often than others suffer from neuroses, frustrations, depression, they have a very pronounced effect of mental burnout.
Sensitivity of the touch sphere
Secondly, the concept of “feelings” in psychology is used to designate the channels of perception of sensory (sensory) information. There are five such channels: sight, taste, hearing, smell and touch, or tactile sensations – the very five senses. In this regard, sensitivity is considered as an increased sensitivity of sensors – sense organs. They include both the peripheral region, for example, sensory nerve cells in the retina, and the central region, the corresponding region of the brain.
In psychology, there is a concept of “threshold of sensitivity”. This is the smallest stimulus force that produces a sensation, such as a barely audible sound or an almost indistinguishable shade of color. All people have a different threshold of sensitivity. A low threshold is an indicator of sensitivity, sensitivity to a given stimulus. For example, a good musician can pick up on a difference in pitch that is not noticeable to people with normal hearing. The average person can see up to 150 shades of color, and the artist-sensitive 15,000. This sensitivity is also called subsensory or subthreshold sensitivity.
But both of these types of sensitivity (emotional and sensory) are very close, often caused by the same reasons and often appear together. Therefore, talented artists, musicians, poets are often so emotionally sensitive and prone to deep and traumatic experiences.
Sensitivity as a property of temperament
Temperament is understood as a complex of stable individual personality traits, which are determined by the characteristics of higher nervous activity and leave an imprint on all human behavior. These features primarily include the strength and speed of nervous processes, as well as the ratio of excitation and inhibition. Sensitivity is one of the manifestations of temperament, associated, on the one hand, with the sensitivity of the nervous system, and on the other, with the instability and weakness of nervous processes. Therefore, a slight irritation is enough for a reaction to occur.
The four main types of temperament are generally known, although rarely found in their pure form. So sensitivity, especially of a high level, is inherent to a greater extent to melancholic people. This is the most sensitive and at the same time the most vulnerable type.
There is also a quality of temperament opposite to sensitivity, which is called resistance – this is resistance, increased resistance to influences, including emotional ones. Resistant people are found most often among phlegmatic and sanguine people, they are not only calm and balanced, but also distinguished by penetrating abilities, stubborn character, and a willingness to go towards their goal even over the heads of their friends. They simply do not notice their experiences.
Therefore, both are slightly outside the norm, both need correction, but it is more difficult to live, undoubtedly, for the sensitive.
Types of sensitivity
There are extreme cases when sensitivity is manifested in all areas of a person’s life, but they are rare. Usually, hypersensitivity is associated with a specific area or direction of mental activity. There are 4 main types of sensitivity:
- emotional – the ability to show a strong emotional reaction to external influences and evaluate even the smallest of them as significant;
- organic – increased sensitivity of the sensory-perceptual sphere;
- sensitivity of higher nervous activity (temperament);
- social sensitivity.
The latter type began to be studied relatively recently, when they found out how important sensitivity is in interpersonal relationships and how it manifests itself. Lack of at least elementary sensitivity greatly complicates the establishment of contacts between people and serves as a source of conflict. Currently, there are 4 types of social sensitivity:
- Theoretical – Sensitivity at the rational level. This is not even sensitivity, but an understanding of the characteristics of the behavior of other people. Moreover, it is far from always that a person with this type of sensitivity applies his knowledge well in practice.
- Observational is already a classic sensitivity, which manifests itself in a person’s sensitivity to changes in people’s behavior, to verbal and non-verbal signals coming from a person: facial expressions, eyes, intonation and speed of speech, expressiveness, etc.
- Ideographic is the ability, on the basis of often unconscious external characteristics, to create a psychological portrait of a person, to highlight his features, unique qualities and, on the basis of this, to develop communication strategies.
- Nomothetic – social sensitivity associated not only with observation, but also with the ability to generalize the data obtained about the characteristics of groups of people and use them to predict the behavior of any other similar communities.
Of all the types of sensitivity, the emotional and social ones have the most noticeable influence on the behavior and mental state of people. Moreover, this influence is often the exact opposite. Social sensitivity is undoubtedly necessary, useful and a good tool for organizing social interaction. Whereas the emotional is often the source of problems, including mental ones.
What are sensitive periods
The concept of “sensitivity” is associated with another important mental phenomenon, this time in developmental psychology. Human development is a progressive process, it is associated not only with physical growth and maturation, but also with the formation of new mental functions, with the mastery of new types and methods of activity. This is most clearly manifested in childhood.
But, as noted by scientists dealing with the problems of child psychology, the development, although progressive, but uneven. There are periods in it when the child’s psyche is most sensitive to the impact of the surrounding world and the formation of certain functions. These periods in development are called sensitive or sensitive.
- The sensitive period for the formation of speech skills is the age from birth to 5-6 years. It is from birth, since the foundations of mastering speech activity are laid in the baby from the moment of birth (and possibly earlier). By the age of 5-6, children not only speak fluently the language in which their relatives communicate with them, but also master the rules of phonetics and grammar, and even begin to master written language.
- 6-10 years is a sensitive period for learning activities. Children at this age are not only open to everything new, their brain is flexible and receptive to the higher type of thinking – abstract, logical, conceptual. Younger students also master the operations with signs (counting and writing) and learn reflexive activity.
- Adolescence is a sensitive period for self-discovery, and it ends with the formation of self-esteem. This period is also characterized by the development of communication skills and social functions.
- Early adolescence is important for the formation of a worldview, a system of life values and guidelines.
Sensitive periods are important not only because at this time the formation and development of mental functions is easier, but also because the lack of conditions for development during this period can lead to serious mental problems. For example, if a baby at the age of 1-4 years old does not have the ability to master speech, or they just communicate with him very little, then he will most likely develop mental retardation. If a teenager is deprived of peer society, he will have serious communication problems.
Sensitivity: Treat or Develop?
Summing up, I note that sensitivity is an ambiguous phenomenon, like much in our psyche. Sensitivity to external influences, including emotional, is necessary for a person for a full life.
And if we are talking about social sensitivity, then the quality of our personal life depends on it (is love possible without feeling a partner?), And the success of professional activity, and just communication with friends and family. Therefore, training in communication skills necessarily include exercises for the development of sensitivity.
But, on the other hand, high emotional sensitivity is destructive for our psyche, it threatens with depression, neuroses and panic attacks. Therefore, you need to take this phenomenon seriously. And if you are having problems with excessive emotional reactions and an increased feeling of anxiety, then it is better to turn to a good therapist.
