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Sensitivityresearch.com is a website run by researchers dedicated to sharing reliable information on the human trait of sensitivity.

Sensitivity is defined as the ability to perceive and process information about the environment. Although all people are sensitive, some are considerably more than others.

According to research studies, people differ in their sensitivity.
Sensitive people respond more strongly to stress but also benefit more from positive experiences.

This website aims to educate the public, provide free resources to both researchers and practitioners, as well as facilitate international collaboration between researchers.

Research shows that some people are more strongly influenced by their surroundings and experiences. Such differences in sensitivity have a genetic basis.

How sensitive are you?

Sensitivity can be easily measured with a short questionnaire.

According to research, people tend to fall in one of three sensitivity groups: low, medium and high.

Take the test to find out which group you belong to.

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Sensitivity has a genetic basis. Research shows that genes explain up to about 50% of the differences in sensitivity between people.

Sensitivity Blog

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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.

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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).

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Sensitive Adolescents with an Immigrant Background Benefit More from an Intervention Promoting Cultural Identity Development

In a randomized controlled trial conducted in Italy, we found that an 8-week school-based intervention targeting cultural identity development (i.e., Identity Project) was efficacious in promoting adolescents’ identity exploration. Highly sensitive adolescents with an immigrant background benefited the most from the intervention, providing support for the vantage sensitivity hypothesis.

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Being sensitive has advantages. Sensitive people tend to benefit more from positive and supportive experiences

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