Highly Sensitive Person - Epistemological Considerations

Epistemological Considerations

The approach adopted by Aron and colleagues questions the role of notions such as "shyness" in explaining basic differences in behaviour that are encountered in many species, including humans. As opposed to shyness, which is constructed both as a negative trait and a genetic weakness that can be worsened by circumstances, the trait of high sensitivity is considered a basic, evolutionarily conserved trait with survival advantages in itself. Zoologists observed the existence of a shy-bold continuum in animal species:

... in sunfish a "shy-bold continuum" has been identified, in which "bold" individuals differ from "shy" ones in their propensity to approach novel objects (including minnow traps), eat certain food items, and acclimate to laboratory environments. The "shy-bold continuum" has also been observed in humans and several other mammals.

Zoologists are aware that notions of shyness and boldness are anthropomorphic (as exemplified by the use of quotation marks, above; "personality" is another term used with quotation marks). Some animals and even insects were shown to get survival advantages (avoidance of dangers) and even, as a consequence, reproductive advantages (availability for "exuberant" courtship behaviours) from being "shy".

Faced with this apparent misnaming of a basic survival strategy, Aron and colleagues developed the notion of high sensitivity, expanding on Jung's suggestion of the trait of innate sensitiveness, which he distinguished from his own notion of introversion. In support of this distinction, Aron showed that the Highly Sensitive Person Scale identified a sizable proportion of extroverted sensitive persons (30%). In addition, Aron provides evidence supporting that highly sensitive persons can also be highly sensitive to favourable social cues and respond with traits of extroversion.