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General Personality Science

Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)

A personality trait found in 15-20% of the population, characterized by deeper sensory processing, emotional sensitivity, and heightened responsiveness to stimuli. Identified by Elaine Aron (1996).

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is the scientific term for what's popularly called being a "Highly Sensitive Person." HSPs have a more responsive nervous system that processes stimuli — both positive and negative — more deeply.

HSPs notice subtleties others miss, are deeply moved by art and nature, feel overwhelmed by sensory stimulation, and have rich inner lives. Neuroimaging confirms that HSP brains show more activity in areas related to deep processing, empathy, and awareness.

In Big Five terms, HSP maps to high Neuroticism (emotional sensitivity) + high Openness (depth of processing). About 70% of HSPs are introverts, but 30% are extroverts. HSPs thrive in calm environments and careers involving empathy, creativity, and attention to detail.

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Related Terms

Introversion
A personality preference for lower stimulation environments. Introverts recharge through solitude and deep focus, prefer small groups over large parties, and think before speaking.
Personality Trait
A relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that distinguishes one person from another. Traits are continuous dimensions (not categories) measured on a spectrum.
Ambivert
A person who falls near the middle of the introversion-extraversion spectrum, displaying both introverted and extroverted behaviors depending on context. Most people (60-70%) are ambiverts.
Dark Triad
Three socially aversive personality traits: Narcissism (grandiosity, entitlement), Machiavellianism (manipulation, cynicism), and Psychopathy (callousness, impulsivity). Present to varying degrees in the general population.
Five Factor Model (FFM)
The scientific framework behind the Big Five personality test. Developed through decades of factor analysis, identifying five broad dimensions that account for most of the variance in human personality.
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