The highly sensitive person
"Highly sensitive person" describes a temperament, not an illness or a disorder: a tendency to notice more, think things through more deeply and react more strongly to what's going on around you. Researchers describe sensitivity as a trait that varies from person to person, like height.
MindScale scores four sides of sensitivity separately, because they don't always go together. Someone can be very aware of noise and light without being strongly moved by other people's moods, or the other way round.
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Sensory awareness
How strongly you notice sounds, light, smells, textures and other details around you.
- Toward the high end
- People here pick up on sensory details that others often miss, like a faint smell, a flickering light or a scratchy label.
- Around the middle
- People here notice sensory details some of the time, more in some places and moods than others.
- Toward the low end
- Sounds, lights and textures rarely grab the attention of people here. Busy surroundings don't tend to bother them.
Depth of processing
How deeply you think things over, reflect on experiences and weigh up choices.
- Toward the high end
- People here think things through carefully and often keep turning over an idea, a conversation or a book long afterwards.
- Around the middle
- People here reflect deeply on some things and move on quickly from others.
- Toward the low end
- People here tend to take things as they come without dwelling on them. Decisions often feel simple to them.
Emotional responsiveness
How strongly you are moved by your own feelings, other people's moods, art and nature.
- Toward the high end
- People here feel things strongly. Music, a film or someone else's mood can move them in a big way.
- Around the middle
- People here are moved by some moments and people, while others leave them fairly even.
- Toward the low end
- The feelings of people here tend to stay even. Other people's moods and sad films rarely sweep them along.
Need for quiet
How much time alone or in calm surroundings you need after a busy, noisy or crowded day.
- Toward the high end
- People here need quiet time to recharge after a full day. Crowds, noise and rush can wear them out quickly.
- Around the middle
- People here like some quiet time after a busy day, but can also keep going when they need to.
- Toward the low end
- Busy, noisy days rarely wear people here out. They can go from one thing to the next without much downtime.
How scoring works
Each statement has five response choices. A response contributes from 1 to 5 points to the scale it belongs to, and the points become a position from 0 to 100. Around 0–33 is the low third, 34–66 is around the middle and 67–100 is the high third.
Looking at the separate positions is more useful than treating them as one overall score: the profile shows where the answers sit on each scale.
The benefits of knowing your sensitivity
Knowing which sides of sensitivity are strongest for you can make some experiences easier to understand: why a busy shopping centre wears you out, why a film stays with you for days or why you need longer than others to make a decision.
Sensitivity has upsides as well as costs: noticing details, reading a room, being moved by art and nature, and thinking carefully before acting.
Sensitivity in everyday life
Small changes can help: building quiet time into a busy day, wearing headphones in noisy places, giving yourself time before big decisions, or telling people close to you that you need a break after crowded events.
If sensitivity starts to get in the way of daily life, or comes with worry or low mood that doesn't lift, talking to a doctor or another qualified professional is a good step.
How to take the test
MindScale's highly sensitive person test has 28 statements and no time limit. Choose the response that best matches how you usually are, not how you would like to be.
You can go back and change an answer. When you finish, you can unlock your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.
Conclusion
High sensitivity is a temperament with four sides: sensory awareness, depth of processing, emotional responsiveness and need for quiet. It varies from person to person, and each side has its own strengths and costs.
If you'd like to see where you sit on each side, the MindScale highly sensitive person test has 28 statements. The price is shown before you start.
See your own result
Your score and full report: $2.95 for 7 days of full access, then $29.95 every 4 weeks until you cancel.