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.’ 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.’
A human with a particularly high measure of SPS is considered to have ‘hypersensitivity,’ or be a highly sensitive person (HSP). 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. Other researchers have applied various other terms to denote this responsiveness to stimuli that is seen in humans and other species.
read more »
The Daily Omnivore 