Sensitivity Measures
3rd International Conference on Sensitivity Research – Call for Submissions
The 3rd International Conference on Sensitivity Research will take place on May 23rd 2025 at the University of Surrey, United Kingdom (a 30min train ride from London).
Besides an exciting invited programme (to be announced in early 2025), we welcome submission of abstracts for a limited number of talks and posters on any recent research on sensitivity.
How Sensitivity Shapes Our Reactions to Life’s Highs and Lows
Our individual degree of sensitivity to the world around us affects how we experience both good and bad events. In two studies, we explored how individuals with heightened environmental sensitivity respond more strongly to both stressful and positive experiences, suggesting practical ways to support mental health based on these insights.
Summary of the 2nd International Conference on Sensitivity Research
The 2nd International Conference on Sensitivity Research took place online on the 22nd of May, 2024. In this blog post, we summarize the meeting and highlight some key contributions from various sensitivity researchers.
Beyond Restless: Understanding Sleep Challenges for Highly Sensitive Persons
We investigated the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and insomnia symptoms, testing the hypothesis that daily stressors would impact highly sensitive persons during nighttime.
We found that heightened sleep reactivity explains the relationship between sensitivity and sleep disruption. This study holds potential for helping sensitive people overcome their sleep problems.
An Overstimulated Consumer in a Highly Visual World: the HSP Trait
Research shows that people react differently to similar stimuli due to differences in their personality. This research study focuses on how people with higher sensitivity to external stimuli – commonly defined as Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) – react when exposed to adverts with excessive visual stimuli (i.e., colour, dynamic imagery, complex layouts).
Connecting the Dots between Sensitivity and Physical Health: the role of Psychological Stress
In our study on sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), health, and perceived stress, we observed that perceived stress acts as a mediator between SPS and poor physical health, particularly in a predominantly Hispanic population.
This suggests that prioritizing stress reduction may enhance the impact of SPS on physical health.
Are Gifted Individuals Truly Highly Sensitive? Unraveling the Connection
In our study, we investigated whether gifted individuals exhibit higher scores on Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS). Findings indicate that gifted individuals have lower scores on negative aspects of sensitivity, such as Emotional and Physiological Reactivity, while scoring higher on positive aspects, such as Aesthetic Sensitivity. These differences are partially explained by lower Neuroticism and higher Openness among gifted respondents.
Investigating Sensitivity Through the Lens of Parents
We validated the Italian parent-report version of the Highly Sensitive Child scale in three studies. We found that the parent-report version of the HSC scale is a psychometrically robust measure that reliably captures individual differences in children’s response to environmental influences.
Measuring Sensitivity in Chinese Children
We translated the most-used sensitivity questionnaire for children into Chinese and studied how well it worked for Chinese children. Our results from two studies are promising: our Chinese version of the Highly Sensitive Child Questionnaire aligned in most aspects with similar studies conducted globally.
Children’s Sensory Processing Sensitivity and Prosocial Behaviours
In two independent samples, we found that children with high sensory processing sensitivity demonstrated higher susceptibility to the influence of positive parenting regarding their prosocial behaviour.
In the lab, highly sensitive children demonstrated higher susceptibility to observed negative feedback compared to children with low sensitivity.