Hypersensitivity or sensitivity in psychology is an ambiguous concept. It all depends on the context of the application. The term can serve to describe the nature, age characteristics, the method of active interaction with the world.
Material Content:
The definition of sensitivity in psychology
Sensitivity translated from Latin literally means "feeling."
In psychology, this term is used to describe the character of a person, his accentuation. In this understanding, the word sometimes acquires a negative connotation, implying a painful sensitivity that interferes with normal life in society.
In another context, sensitivity is a way of active action, perception of reality with particular accuracy, and increased sensitivity to the world and people. This quality that can be controlled, it is necessary for a good psychologist, writer, artist, musician. Normal sensitivity is important for an ordinary person who wants to live in harmony with himself and surrounding reality.
What are sensitive periods
The concept of seasonality is used to describe the periods of development of the baby. This phenomenon is considered universal, that is, it manifests itself in the life of all children, and at the same time individual. The moment of its beginning and end for each individual subject can only be predicted theoretically.
The sensitive period is the most favorable time for the improvement of certain psychological skills, the acquisition of new knowledge.
A detailed description of this phenomenon can be found in the works of Maria Montessori. Her pedagogical methodology of free education is based on helping the child to master certain skills and knowledge.
Particularly rapid development occurs from birth to 6 years, when the child overcomes several sensitive periods at once, he learns:
- talk;
- to walk;
- move and act;
- communicate in society;
- perceive order and surrounding reality.
Character and personality traits
The sensitive type of character describes the person’s excessive, painful sensitivity to everything that happens. Any external factors act very strongly on such a person - loud sound, bright light, harsh speech. For a sensitive person, any rude word is a psychological trauma. A strong sound and light becomes a shock; it cannot endure excessive loads at work and while studying, it suffers and suffers.
The psychological work for such people is always excessive, they cannot stand high demands, it is very difficult for them to live. If in the family such a relative coexists next to the emotionally hot-tempered type, then he suffers a lot. Sensitive people prefer halftones in their outer life, and this applies to emotions, stresses, relationships. Such features need to be understood and known to relatives and friends.
A frequent companion of hypersensitivity is anxiety. Fear of everything new, closeness to strangers, fears of upcoming trials - all this is characteristic of a sensitive person with a melancholic temperament.
Other character traits:
- shyness;
- tendency to prolonged experiences;
- low self-esteem;
- low level of claims;
- timidity;
- impressionability;
- increased moral demand for oneself.
Through conscious efforts and psychological sensitivity training, the excessively vulnerable and vulnerable character is smoothed out. This is due to the formation of the ability to cope with situations that cause anxiety.
Age sensitivity
Signs of age sensitivity are better studied in children. This phenomenon, which occurs at a certain stage of life, expresses a different level of susceptibility to the influence of external factors.
Age-related sensitivity is characterized by a limited duration. A certain period when this property manifests itself most vividly is called the sensitive period. The beginning and end of this period of time does not depend on the desire of the individual and the success of mastering knowledge. Even if the necessary skill has been developed, the decline of abilities occurs with age.
Parents are not able to accelerate the onset of a period of hypersensitivity in a child or delay its end. But, having created favorable conditions for training at the right time, they will help to realize the potential laid down by nature.
Some researchers (Koltsov, Elkonin, Ananiev) believe that favorable periods of increased sensitivity accompany a person throughout life, while they have a wavy character - the time of active development is replaced by a decline.
Social behavior
All types of sensitivity are realized in contact with the outside world or other people.
Sensitivity arising during the period of such contact is a personality trait that helps to be attentive to others, to be able to predict their actions, behavior and reactions.
There are 4 main types of such sensitivity:
- Observational p. - this is the ability to see, hear, contemplate another person. The ability to remember the external form and statements, gestures, appearance, to draw certain conclusions and forecasts based on the information received.
- Theoretical p. - is related to the work of specialists who help people. Skills are associated with the selection and use of certain theories that are most suitable for the analysis of specific cases.
- Nomotic s.- the ability to perceive other people as representatives of the social groups to which they belong. This allows you to determine the circle of communication, needs and interests of the observed individuals.
- Ideographic s. - the ability to notice the distinctive character and behavior of other persons. The ability to predict further actions and emotions of a particular person.
Hypersensitivity to the outside world and to oneself, as a consciously controlled skill, is useful and worthy of development. In psychological practice, trainings for improving this quality are popular.
Reasons for increased and decreased sensitivity
The frequent use of patterns in environmental assessment is a consequence of reduced sensitivity. If you perceive every new situation or person in your life through the prism of existing attitudes, mistakes and the development of neuroses are inevitable. Only understanding the true state of things, understanding the essence of another individual, can overcome the crisis.
Another manifestation of reduced individual sensitivity is the lack of perception of oneself. The ability to notice, read, perceive your internal signals and respond to them in a certain way is necessary for normal life. Sometimes a person is distanced from himself at the level of emotions, body, etc. This condition leads to the emergence of nervous diseases, depression, problems in behavior. A person is able to develop sensitivity and become aware of himself only after setting priorities and identifying personal values. By nature, he can only pay attention to what is most significant in his own eyes.
So, normal social sensitivity, which allows us to understand the true essence of things and stimulates development in childhood, is useful and even necessary. As a character trait, increased sensitivity that goes beyond the limits of the norm usually distorts the understanding of oneself and the world. It is formed due to improper, authoritarian upbringing of the personality in childhood or is an age-related feature. Thus, adolescents have an increased sensitivity of character. They sharply perceive injustice, exaggerate the significance of what is happening, and cannot adequately assess themselves and their emotions.
