My thought on this: people who score as HSPs are more likely to be interested in typology in general and to seek self-understanding. The book's author says she was motivated to write it, in part, because the big majority of people she sees in her work as a psychologist are HSPs.Originally Posted by Galen
For supposedly being only 20% of the population there sure are a lot of people scoring high on the HSP test
The challenge with this topic is that it lies mostly in the domain of occupational therapy (OT), and OT mainly deals with the needs of children where sensory stuff is concerned. I have seen a few articles here and there on adults dealing with sensory-integration issues, but what one finds is that for the most part, adults have figured out various coping strategies. (Adults also have more control over their environments. I can choose not to go into a tiny, loud, overcrowded ice-cream shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but my child could not choose to not attend a loosely structured kindergarten where he was repeatedly bumped by other children and the atmosphere was always verging on mild chaos.) OT attempts to help children find coping strategies faster, and perhaps more important, to bypass the need for strategies by going straight to the neurological underpinnings of sensory issues and resolving the problems there.
But seeing my son go through some of the same challenges I've faced has in itself been instructive. Probably the best book on this subject is called The Out-of-Sync Child. It discusses both sensory avoidance and sensory seeking.
Amazon.com: The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition (9780399531651): Carol Kranowitz, Lucy Jane Miller: Books
Just googling "sensory processing adults" might uncover some shorter treatments of the subject. And the book under discussion in this thread, Elaine Aron's The Highly Sensitive Person, contains more information on stimulation seeking. She also has written about how to manage this approach to sensory input within relationships, as partners having different levels of sensory needs can experience misunderstanding and conflict.
Last edited by golden; 09-17-2010 at 08:29 PM.
I wouldn't say I resent it per say, but it's more that sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who's sensitive in this manner. It's probably more of an E6 thing I guess (at least for me), and as I recall Lobo also self-typed as E6.
The test is not all that great. It comes from the book, which means that the author wrote the test for people who likely have already self-identified as HSP,
OR ...
she wrote is such that many people will recognize themselves or loved ones from the questions and will be more likely to purchase the book.
Either way, or both, it's not a very scientific instrument.
I always score as an HSP on those tests...but I'm not really fond of the term. I find it...superfluous...personally. I just describe myself as sensitive, I don't find any satisfaction or insight as identifying as an HSP. Especially when the opposite, "highly insensitive people", is not an actual term. The whole HSP thing is just random to me.
Good point. It's really just the brainchild of one particular author who repackaged something we all recognize (some people are sensitive, duh) into a saleable formula. But hey, I respect her ability to coin a term and sell a bunch of books.
Hmm, I'll come up with somethingThat is so well said, i dont even know how to praise you!.
Yeth, I'm E6.
I wouldn't say I resent it per say, but it's more that sometimes I feel like I'm the only person who's sensitive in this manner. It's probably more of an E6 thing I guess (at least for me), and as I recall Lobo also self-typed as E6.
I think HSP is a legitimate term and I recognize myself as HSP, so much so, I bought the book but unfortunately never got around to reading it from beginning to end. Many people notice my apparent sensitivity, but interpreations vary. Sensitive does denote two distinct connotations as aforementioned, emotional and physical sensitivity. I'm physically sensitive but, unsually, emotionally stable.
An interesting aspect of the HSP is empathy, often of the highest degree; that is likely what is meant when they describe them as psychic or mind readers. HSP can pick up on the sublties in a persons physical presence and often subconsciously adopt or mirror the persons moods sometimes without even realizing. Exampes include hearing the distintions in a persons voice as suggesting their current mood, like anger has a distinct sound, sadness, fear, happiness, etc. The sound of someones footsteps has the same effect of conveying a persons current disposition. I suppose logically if you hear someone knocking at the door, a rational response is to question who is knocking at the door and so you go to find out. However to a HSP they will be as interested in the manner inwhich the person knocked on the door and what that suggests, i.e. loudly, quietly, softly, repeatedly, only once, etc.
no one mentioned highly intelligent people are highly sensitive, but a highly sensitive person does not necessarily mean you are highly intelligent. People notice my sensitivity more readily than they do my intelligence, if they only knew. drats.
To me, the manner in which someone knocks on a door is used mostly as an indicator of who is doing the knocking as opposed to the state which the person is in, although I assume both can be discerned at once.
I would like to know to what extent HSP try to hide their sensitivity, either physical or emotional. Any thoughts chip?
I don't know if I'm HSP, but Chuck E. Cheese is hell. I got traumatized there as a child. There are some things about those HSP descriptions that apply and others that don't or that only apply at times.
Oh, to find you in dreams - mixing prior, analog, and never-beens... facts slip and turn and change with little lucidity. except the strong, permeating reality of emotion.
Would you say your sensitivity is somewhat dependent on your mood?
I haven't found a consistent reason yet. Usually the variable sensitivities have to do with the physical stuff. For example, sometimes pain/hunger really bothers me, sometimes I don't notice it for awhile. It might have to do with distraction, though.
Does it depend on mood for you?
Oh, to find you in dreams - mixing prior, analog, and never-beens... facts slip and turn and change with little lucidity. except the strong, permeating reality of emotion.
With your 53 % you are: Melancholy: Usually emotional, individualistic, creative...Commonly artistic, spontaneous, lover of 'different' things. Weaknesses: You don't care enough of what others think. You're always trying to be 'different', and you don't stick with anything. 36 % from 7782 test takers had this profile!
But you have almost become this:
With your 20 % you are: Choleric: Leader, organized, self-disciplined and sufficient. Very successful. Weaknesses: Try to be perfect all the time, become bossy, don't 'let your guard down'.
And that you are not at all:
With your 13 % you are: Sanguine: Loves people, friendly, great story-teller...Loves to be center of attention or just to fit in. Weaknesses: Loss of individualism because you care too much about others' opinions.
With your 13 % you are: Phlegmatic: Laid-back, good-natured, easy to please. Usually get along with everyone, not one to 'make waves'. Weaknesses: Easy to become lazy, indecisive, selfish--usually undisciplined.
LII-Ne with strong EII tendencies, 6w7-9w1-3w4 so/sp/sx, INxP
That's what I've tentatively come to conclude yeah. For example, when I'm in a situation where people are being loud and rambunctious, I find that my energy immediately drops down and I find it hard to bring it back up unless I either force myself to interact with them or leave the situation entirely. When my energy levels are that low I find myself becoming more emotionally sensitive and contemplative about everything, although that may just be a reaction to the situation I'm in. Physical context seems to play a big part in how sensitive I come across or how introspective I become, because I know that it's definitely not a constant thing for me. It's as if my sensitivity is used as an indicator of my reactions forwards things, kinda like an internal magnetic field that sends off warning flares when something isn't right, and I suppose my mood changes are examples of those warnings. This seems like a very Fi and/or Sx example of sensitivity, and I'm sure that how it's interpreted varies depending on type.
Yeah, that makes sense. Context matters for me, too. Also, if one thing happens, then I'm more sensitive to whatever might follow. Which is similar to what you were talking about, I think.
Oh, to find you in dreams - mixing prior, analog, and never-beens... facts slip and turn and change with little lucidity. except the strong, permeating reality of emotion.
well the author mentions socially accepted values varying across different cultures. she mentiones that western culture, specificially america, is far less empathetic compared to eastern culture, like japan. Western culture is regaded as very self-conscious, egotistical, extraverted, dominate, and this is especially true of 'white' culture. Even sexually westerners are fixated on dominance and aggression as sexually arousing, 'bigger the better'.
There is a good history book that aptly summerizes this common conception "why the west won", the author traces american and european civilization to its origins in ancient greece, when greece fought against persia. The greeks won because they fought for freedom, the persians fought because they were subverted by a tyrant. Each chapter is dedicated to a different historical period inwhich a major battle was won by western civilization, traversing from ancient times to modern times. The main thread of the book is western culture is superior due to freedom.
A friend of mine spoke of a good book he was reading too, that argued that humanity is degrading and becoming inhumane if I get the gitz of it. The reason is comparitively bombing kills thousands, but throwing spears and rocks can kill just a few. If you judge modern society by its technological advancements, there is great progress, but if you judge it by its lethality, we were more civil to one another 150,000 years ago, when we we're living in the trees.
Another aspect of various culture is appropriate distance during conversations. It has been observed that spanish and italians stand closer to one another during a discussion. Can you guess who stands furthest away from each other? Also sexually, spanish are regarded as the best lovers, they're very sensual and do not have a guilt complex.
Here in korea friendship and bonding for both men and women is much more physcially affectionate. Men will often hug, lean, or wrap their arms around one another. Women hold hands. In the west, insulting anothers pride or withholding from insulting anothers pride is bonding. As such, foreigners are emotionally ambivalent towards koreans, it is often said they love korean women but hate korean men. Ironically its common for korean men to slap their girlfriends, wives and children. I've often heard men say they have to 'westernize' their korean girlfriends, especially for sex as asian women consider oral sex to be distasteful.
In summary, since high sensitivity is an innate quality, a persons circumstances can influence their choice to demonstrate their sensitivity, which can be a positive demonstration as they notice things most would not, i.e. appreciation, or to choose to hide their sensitivity due to fright. I imagine they might hide their sensitivity due to masculine pride if they are a 'western' man or hide it to protect themselves from exploitation if they are a woman. Livining in a western world, I imagine sensitivity is not commonly regarded as a desirable quality, in a literary sense, a classic tale of man versus society and man versus himself.
Another answer and perhaps the answer your looking for is: can you be vulnerable or are you afraid to make yourself vulnerable? its like:wink:
:frown:
:redface:
or __________________ (flatline).
I am generally a highly sensitive person, the term fits me to a T in connecting to characters from books and shows. I don't always show it outwardly but once you get to know me or spend a lot of time around me, it isn't hard to figure out at all. Not being good at taking criticism probably counts, and I'm very sensitive to animals. I am especially sensitive to criticism if it is on a piece of art that I created that's personal to me. That is why I'm reluctant to share by text book with other people.
I also get overwhelmed with multitasking, or when there is loud music and bright lights at a party. I don't do so well in crowds either. I don't really respond well to people yelling either. I don't particularly like being touched either, especially if it's by people who I don't know as well. I have a very sensitive head, so when going to the beauty parlor and my hair gets tugged at even a little, it takes a lot of effort not to utter profanities.
xII se PoLR, 9w1-5w4-2w3 sp/so
Phlegmatic-Melancholic |RCoAI| Fascinator| Newtype-secondary| LEFVl|
#JusticeforJeb_, Water Sheep did nothing wrong, High Inquisitor Of Council of Water Sheep and Water Sheep's protector
Make things right? Who are we to decide when things are right and when they need to be fixed?
I have been diagnosed with social anxiety and visual snow disorder, two illnesses associated with neurological overexcitability, so I might fit this description.
Yeah. I can relate to this, and I doubt that it has much to do if you're ethical or logical type. I've come to the conclusion that it's a combination of predisposition of neural system, likely inherited, and having weak sensing functions.
In theory EII-Ne and LII-Ne types have the weakestas vulnerable function and
isn't strong either.
The likelihood of sensory overstimulation is high,
but there's a chance that I'll get better when you're older and more mature. At least in my chase it is.
I'm good at getting along with animals most likely because my grandparents, both maternal and paternal, were famer, have had cows, goats and hens.
I know that all from own experience.
To my own experience being highly sensitive intensifies the perception of all emotions, so it also has it's benefits sometimes.
The only difference for me is that I'm not-base, I'm not that skilled at
Supplement:
There is also a theory that the neural system of some people pre-filter less perceived sense impressions so they have to deal with more impressions consciously.
Most of the sense impressions are processed unconsciously.
Last edited by WinnieW; 06-09-2019 at 07:47 PM.
I'm usually underwhelmed of sensory input because I do not notice things around me all that much also my taste is like approved/not approved. I can survive long periods of time without food and getting any sort of effect in mood – I do not have regular eating schedule. I consume too much caffeine. Only thing is what I'm worried about are after effects so my overindulgence has limits or complete halt (like I do not drink alcohol).
However as mentioned above it seems quite clear my mind tends to be quite different and intense place even according to many observers.
MOTTO: NEVER TRUST IN REALITY
Winning is for losers
Sincerely yours,
idiosyncratic type
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Joinif you dare https://matrix.to/#/#The16Types:matrix.org
Introspective autopilot mode?
I know it from taking walks outside. I'm usually better at thinking while walking around but then I don't focus on my surrounding... safe places like forest paths mostly.
Lol, I also happen to fit the descriptions and critera for hsp, social anxiety (anxiety in general), and visual snow disorder (well, it's hard to prove, but I definitely have something weird going on with my vision. Multiple phenomena actually.)
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