Excessive sensitivity, impressionability, high moral requirements, first of all, to oneself, low self-esteem, timidity and shyness. Under the blows of fate, they easily become extremely cautious, suspicious and withdrawn. Tastefully dressed, moderately. Good-natured and attentive facial expression. Precautionary, monitors the reactions of others. Executive and dedicated. Able to show kindness and mutual assistance. Very sociable, sociable. Social recognition is important. Interests in the intellectual and aesthetic sphere.
Detailed description according to A.E. Lichko
A fragment from the book "Psychopathies and Accentuations of Character in a Teenager"
Even Kretschmer, describing one of the forms of reactive psychosis, called sensitive delusions, noted that this psychosis develops in individuals of a special type: they combine excessive sensitivity and impressionability with high moral requirements for themselves, with "ethical scrupulousness." Under the blows of fate, they easily become extremely cautious, suspicious and withdrawn. P.B. Gannushkin noticed that behind all this lies a pronounced sense of "one's own insufficiency." Later, trying to divide humanity into schizoids and cycloids, Kretschmer attributed sensitive subjects to the former. Since then, three tendencies have been preserved in relation to the sensitive type: to consider it as a variation of the schizoid type, to include it in the group of asthenics, even considering it inappropriate and artificial to isolate it in a special variant, and, finally, to consider the sensitive type of character as completely special. Kretschmer also subsequently changed his view: the sensitive type is singled out as one of the main ones. As will be seen from the following presentation, sensitive personalities are significantly different from schizoids and rather belong to a wide range of asthenics, still constituting a special subgroup among them.
In the well-known manuals on child psychiatry, there is no description of the sensitive type at all, and this is not accidental. Sensitive psychopathy is formed relatively late. Its formation most often falls at the age of 16-19 years, that is, in the post-puberty period, at the time of independent entry into social life.
However, from childhood, fearfulness and timidity are manifested. Such children are often afraid of the dark, shun animals, afraid to be alone. They shun too lively and noisy peers, do not like overly mobile and mischievous games, risky pranks, avoid large children's companies, feel timidity and shyness among strangers, in a new environment, and are generally not inclined to easy communication with strangers. All this sometimes gives the impression of isolation, isolation from the environment and makes one suspect autistic tendencies inherent in schizoids. However, with those to whom these children are accustomed, they are quite sociable. They often prefer games with kids to their peers, feeling more confident and calmer among them. The early interest in abstract knowledge, "children's encyclopedia", characteristic of schizoids, also does not appear. Many willingly prefer quiet games, drawing, modeling to reading. To relatives, they sometimes show extreme affection, even with a cold attitude or harsh treatment on their part. They are distinguished by obedience, often reputed to be a "home child".
The school scares them with a crowd of peers, noise, fuss, fuss and fights at recess, but getting used to one class and even suffering from some fellow students, they are reluctant to move to another team. They usually study hard. They are afraid of all kinds of control, checks, exams. Often they are embarrassed to answer in front of the class, afraid to stumble, cause laughter, or, conversely, they answer much less than they know, so as not to be considered an upstart or an overly diligent student among classmates. Often in adolescence they become objects of ridicule.
The onset of puberty usually passes without any complications. Difficulties in adaptation often occur at the age of 16-19. It is at this age that both main qualities of the sensitive type, noted by P.B. Gannushkin - "extreme impressionability" and "a pronounced sense of one's own insufficiency."
The reaction of emancipation in sensitive adolescents is rather weakly expressed. Children's attachment to relatives remains. The guardianship of elders is not only tolerated, but even willingly obeyed. Reproaches, lectures and punishments from relatives are more likely to cause tears, remorse and even despair than the protest usually characteristic of adolescents. Moreover, there is no desire to reject the spiritual values, interests and customs of the older generation. Sometimes there is even an accentuated adherence to the ideals and mode of life of adults. Consonant with this, a sense of duty, responsibility, high moral and ethical requirements are formed early on both to others and to oneself. Peers are horrified by rudeness, cruelty, cynicism. In itself, many shortcomings are seen, especially in the field of moral, ethical and volitional qualities. The source of remorse in male adolescents is often the onanism so frequent at this age. There are self-accusations of “vileness” and “lechery”, cruel reproaches of oneself for the inability to resist the addiction. Masturbation is also attributed to its own weakness in all areas, timidity and shyness, failure in studies due to supposedly weakening memory or thinness, sometimes characteristic of a period of growth, disproportionate physique, etc.
The feeling of inferiority in sensitive adolescents makes the reaction of hypercompensation especially pronounced. They seek self-affirmation not away from the weak points of their nature, not in areas where their abilities can be revealed, but precisely there; where they especially feel their inferiority. Girls tend to show their cheerfulness. Timid and shy boys pull on the guise of swagger and even deliberate arrogance, trying to show their energy and will. But as soon as the situation unexpectedly requires bold determination, they immediately give up. If it is possible to establish trusting contact with them, and they feel sympathy and support from the interlocutor, then behind the sleeping mask of “nothing at all” turns out to be a life full of reproaches and self-flagellation, subtle sensitivity and exorbitantly high demands on oneself. Unexpected participation and sympathy can change arrogance and bravado into violent tears.
Due to the same reaction of hypercompensation, sensitive adolescents find themselves in public positions (headmen, etc.). They are put forward by educators attracted by obedience and diligence. However, they are only enough to fulfill the formal side of the function entrusted to them with great personal responsibility, but informal leadership in such teams goes to others. The intention to get rid of timidity and weak will pushes the boys to engage in strength sports - wrestling, dumbbell gymnastics, etc. So, for example, a 16-year-old sensitive young man, quiet and indecisive, spent almost all his free time on a parachute tower, jumping several times a day and doing various gymnastic exercises in the air in order to “suppress all fear forever.” Perhaps playing sports brings them some benefit, but they do not achieve noticeable success here.
The reaction of grouping with peers, like the reaction of emancipation, receives little outward manifestation. Unlike schizoids, sensitive adolescents do not isolate themselves from comrades, do not live in imaginary fantastic groups, and are not able to be a "black sheep" in a normal adolescent environment. They are picky in the choice of friends, they prefer a close friend to a large company, they are very affectionate in friendship. Some of them like to have older friends. The usual teenage group terrifies them with the noise, swagger, rudeness that prevails there.
The hobbies of sensitive adolescents can be divided into true, in harmony with their character, and contrasting with their nature and caused by the reaction of hypercompensation. The first ones mainly belong to the type of intellectual and aesthetic hobbies. They are very diverse and are determined by the level of intelligence and general development, examples of elders, individual abilities and inclinations. There is also a passion for various types of art: music (usually classical), drawing, modeling, chess. Here you can also breed domestic flowers, songbirds, aquarium fish, and domesticate small animals. Satisfaction here comes from the very process of these activities: the opportunity to read an interesting book in the original in a foreign language, listen to your favorite music, draw, solve a difficult chess problem, admire the growing flowers, feed the fish, etc. These hobbies are completely devoid of the desire to attract the attention of others or achieve amazing results. Even real successes are estimated by teenagers rather modestly.
Hobbies associated with hypercompensation often belong to the "leadership" or body-manual type of hobbies. Here the main thing is the goal and the result, and not the process itself. The nature of these hobbies has already been mentioned above.
The reactions associated with the emerging sexual attraction are densely colored by feelings of one's own inferiority. As indicated, adolescent masturbation sometimes becomes a source of painful remorse and torment. Shyness and shyness come out with particular force when first love flares up. Often, the object of love remains unaware of the feeling it caused. Or explanations and confessions are, perhaps due to the same hypercompensation, so decisive and unexpected that they frighten and repel. Rejected love plunges into despair and extremely exacerbates the feeling of one's own inferiority. Self-flagellation and self-reproaches lead to suicidal thoughts.
The suicidal behavior of sensitive adolescents is characterized by two qualities, First, repeated outbreaks of suicidal thoughts without making any attempts. These outbreaks are always caused by the situation - the blows of life on the weak points of sensitive subjects, warming up the idea of their own worthlessness. Secondly, true suicidal actions, devoid of any element of demonstrativeness. A suicidal act is usually committed under the influence of a chain of failures, disappointments (a long “pre-suicidal period”), and a rather insignificant reason can serve as the last straw. Because of this, suicidal actions can be completely unexpected for others.
Sensitive adolescents are not prone to alcoholism, drug use, or delinquent behavior. Sensitive young men, as a rule, do not even smoke, and alcoholic beverages can disgust them. In alcohol intoxication, one often sees not a euphoric, but a depressive reaction with an increase in feelings of inferiority. Unlike schizoids, alcohol is not able to play the role of a kind of communicative dope, i.e. does not facilitate contacts and does not inspire self-confidence.
False judgments of delinquency can occur when running away from home, skipping school, or even completely refusing to attend school, which are caused by mental trauma or an intolerable situation for sensitive adolescents. The ridicule, rudeness, resentment, painful situation experienced by a teenager may remain unknown to others. Unexpected desperate violent aggression against the offender is sometimes misinterpreted as banal pugnacity or hooliganism.
Self-assessment of sensitive adolescents is characterized by a rather high level of objectivity. Resentment and sensitivity inherent in childhood, shyness, which especially prevents you from making friends with anyone you want, inability to be a leader, a ringleader, the soul of a company, dislike for adventures and adventures, all kinds of risk and thrills, aversion to alcohol, dislike for flirting and courtship. They emphasize that they tend neither to quarrel easily nor to make up quickly. Many of them have problems to which they cannot determine their attitude or do not want to do so. Most often, these problems are the attitude towards friends, towards one's environment, towards criticism, towards money, towards alcoholic beverages. Apparently, all this is connected with hidden feelings colored by emotions. Disgusted by lies and disguises, sensitive teenagers prefer untruth to rejection.
The weak link of sensitive personalities is the attitude of others around them. Unbearable for them is the situation where they become the object of ridicule or suspicion of unseemly acts, when the slightest shadow falls on their reputation or when they are subjected to unfair accusations. The following examples can serve as an illustration of what has been said. A drunken man approached a 14-year-old sensitive teenager on the street, both were taken to the police, the teenager was immediately released, but “everyone saw how he was being led by a policeman” and this caused long painful experiences and refusal to go to school. From the device, which was used by another 17-year-old sensitive young man in the laboratory, a valuable part disappeared, one of his colleagues jokingly threw the phrase: “If you took it, then return it!” It was enough to come to the conclusion that everyone considered him a thief, and quit his job at the research institute, which this young man cherished very much. From the wardrobe, when a 15-year-old schoolgirl was on duty, a jacket disappeared; she began to be tormented by the thought that everyone should consider her a thief.
It is no coincidence that in the families of sensitive adolescents there were repeatedly delusional patients or paranoid psychopaths who made absurd accusations against these adolescents. The mother of a 16-year-old sensitive boy, who suffered from involutional paranoia, reproached him for allegedly cohabiting with an elderly woman, the former mistress of his long-dead father. Another mother, suspicious and stingy, scolded her son, a homebody, lover of birds and flowers, for allegedly being associated with a gang of bandits who were going to rob her. An elderly grandmother, her parents who left for the north, entrusted the upbringing of a 15-year-old sensitive girl. Seeing her granddaughter on the street with a classmate, she called her a public girl in front of her neighbors and demanded to go to the gynecologist for an examination. All the described situations caused reactive states. Naturally, becoming a laughing stock for others, due to any real shortcomings or unsuccessful actions of parents or educators, is more than enough to be plunged into a depressive state.
Among 300 male adolescents hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital with psychopathy and character accentuations, 8% were classified as sensitive, and only a fourth of them were diagnosed with psychopathy, and in the rest - reactive states against the background of the corresponding sensitive accentuation.
Sensitive-labile and schizoid-sensitive variants
Sensitive subjects, unlike schizoids, are very sensitive to how others treat them. Nevertheless, there are mixed types, where sensitivity and schizoidness are combined, then it is schizoidness that is the dominant feature.
More difficult is the distinction between sensitive and labile types. A sensitive teenager does not have bursts of joyful mood, there is a constant readiness for despondency, shyness, even in the most favorable environment - all this is usually not present in a representative of the labile type. Nevertheless, the combination of sensitivity with pronounced lability of emotions - a slight decline in spirit and tears, even with the recollection of old troubles, and a quick compliance with consolation and reassurance - makes some cases be considered as a mixed type ("sensitive-labile variant"). However, unlike sensitive schizoids, here it is sensitivity that forms the main basis of character.
Diffidence is an everyday mental phenomenon. Self-doubt, or, better, sensitive, personalities are spoken of when, as a result of this lack, people suffer and enter into conflicts. Sensitive people are highly receptive and impressionable. They do not show perseverance, they are sensitive and vulnerable, they “swallow” anger and worries, but they carry them long and hard without expressing them. Aggravating experiences and conflicts are not repressed, rejected, or isolated in the sense of the defense mechanisms described above; they remain in consciousness and remain emotionally saturated. Sensitive people are prone to getting stuck and retaining affect: the ability to direct oneself and, above all, the possibility of processing and manifestation of affect are insufficient. This applies most of all to aggressive impulses (suppression of aggression). Only with a significant stagnation of affect do sudden strong explosions occur. Sensitive personalities, according to Kretschmer, are defined by an asthenic structure with a strong sthenic sting.
Conditions of occurrence and biographical features
Many sensitive individuals lost their father in childhood (or were born out of wedlock); other fathers are often weak, have little interest in raising children. As a result, children (or adolescents) cease to see the ideal in their father and come into conflict with him. This can be related to the fact that sensitive people have a strict self-ideal, in which there is a conflict between "to be" and "to be able." A single mother, contrary to reality, tries to idealize the father in the eyes of the child, in education she tries to replace the father and assumes a double function; the child becomes a substitute for the spouse (Richter), at least (often out of fear of parting) the mother tries to bind the child to herself, she protects him and relieves him as much as possible. At the same time, the mother creates for herself an ideal picture of her son, expects conscientiousness, ambition and success from him. With this approach, the Personality becomes, on the one hand, impressionable, soft and vulnerable, and on the other, conceited and emphatically neat. As a result of this development, its special dependence on the assessment of others can be determined. “Hypersensitivity to recognition and rejection is associated with a strong function of the Superego and with a strict self-ideal and arises from the behavior of a loving mother, who at the same time resists the manifestations of the child’s needs” (Kuiper). Self-doubt ultimately means that self-esteem cannot fall apart from the inside (because experiences and behavior are not satisfied by the requirements of the Super-I and the claims of the Self-ideal) and need to be supported from the outside.
A sensitive person is generally sociable and capable of love, but prefers a passive role in love. In contrast, sensitive people are often active and courageous when needed to protect themselves. The choice of a partner proceeds slowly and with conflicts, but marriages are then strong and durable.
In education and work, there are often conflicts between being able and striving, which leads to self-esteem crises if success and especially explicit recognition do not come. This annoyance is the stronger, the more office success should lead to compensation for feelings of inferiority in relation to one's own personality. Sensitive people often experience military service and war as their “best time,” because in such situations orders eliminate the need to make their own decision, they experience a sense of camaraderie and the recognition they seek; this lifestyle allows you to suppress the passive part of the personality structure and weaken the conflict between the I-ideal and I.
This experience shows that the sensitive structure can be evaluated with the same right both as a neurosis of character and as a psychopathy.
Therapy
Sensitive individuals relatively rarely seek treatment. Clinical symptoms consist predominantly of depressive crises of self-esteem and even more often of hypochondriacal states. Psychotherapy aims to process current conflict situations and thereby help the patient to better understand his structure and especially the possibilities of protective behavior, as well as to know the positive aspects of his structure: subtle sensitivity, attentiveness, justice and the possibility of sympathy, which can positively affect interpersonal relationships when the defense recedes and the function of the ego comes into play. Along with the psychotherapeutic conversation, self-confidence training is shown, in which an adequate ratio between aggressive affect and criticism is achieved, for example, in a role-playing game. The prognosis is favorable, many sensitive individuals achieve success in the struggle of life.
Passive-aggressive personality disorders. Such people do not take their aggressiveness outside, but leave it latent, and therefore prefer to express themselves through passive behavior: forgetfulness and punctuality, counterclaims and delays are used by them to counteract the claims that are presented to them in personal, work and social life. The consequence is an inefficient lifestyle, especially if the behavior is persistent and extends to situations that could facilitate positive attitudes and activity. The concept of these personality disorders also comes from military experience. Apart from the expressed forms, such erased forms of behavior can often be found in the work environment.
The psychodynamic explanation of this type of personality development involves the behavior of parents, who punish children's attempts at independence and perseverance, demanding from the child something to obey, even if with ambivalent fluctuations. Throughout life, this type of personality disorder becomes permanent. Psychotherapy is carried out in the same way as in sensitive personalities, with whom these and the following personality disorders (both mentioned in American psychiatry) are closely associated.
Avoidant Personality Disorder Avoidant personality disorder (DSM III), including social phobic personality disorder (DSM IV), is defined by insecure self-esteem, hypersensitivity, especially in case of rejection; even minor, small and everyday failures cause deep vulnerability. Therefore, persons with this disorder try to avoid interpersonal relationships, except for the most necessary ones. Despite the need for contact, they keep their distance from people; with a great wealth of feelings, they are clumsily manifested.
Classification. According to ICD 10, sensitive personalities along with deviating personalities - F60.6; passive-aggressive personality disorders - F60.8.
Sensitivity in psychology is a person's feeling of increased sensitivity, insecurity and vulnerability. Most often, such people complain that they are not understood. Patients, when contacting a specialist, speak out about the feeling of unfriendliness of others, as well as about the understanding that they are worse than others. Sensitivity is a manifestation of excessive stiffness and shyness.
Special Sensitivity
Sensitivity in psychology is a concept relating to personality traits. It consists in excessive vulnerability and sensitivity, increased conscientiousness, as well as a constant tendency to doubt one's actions and to fixate on one's experiences. A sensitive person is mentally easily vulnerable.
This state of special sensitivity may be short-lived. It often accompanies strong disappointments, grief or nervous tension.
Sensitivity can also be a frequent or even constant phenomenon. Often such a way of thinking, when it seems to a person that the whole world is against him, hinders the social adaptation of the individual.
In the event that such symptoms occur, it becomes necessary to consult a psychotherapist. A specialist must collect reliable information about the patient in order to choose the right treatment tactics and alleviate the patient's condition.
Sensitivity is a condition that can be the result of various. These include:
- neuroses;
- stressful conditions;
- diseases of the brain of an organic type;
- personality pathology;
- depression;
- anxiety disorders;
- mental disorders of an endogenous nature;
- brain damage of a toxic type.
Critical period
Age sensitivity is often observed in children. In their life there comes a moment when the mental maturation of a small person occurs, which contributes to the assimilation of certain functions by him. As a rule, the child's environment presents him with a variety of opportunities for exercise. These exercises should suit the needs of the little individual. But there are situations when this does not happen. The child thus loses the possibility of natural assimilation.
Features of temperament
The degree of sensitivity is judged by the strength of external influences that is necessary for the occurrence of any mental reaction. So, for one person, certain conditions may not cause any irritation, while for another they are a strong exciting factor. For example, with some unsatisfied need, one person may not notice this at all, while another under the same conditions will certainly suffer. Thus, we can conclude that sensitivity is a concept that also depends on the temperament of the individual.
Different types of people by personality traits
The sensitivity of temperament in choleric people is characterized by imbalance and excessive excitability. These people often exhibit cyclic behavior. Their intensive activity can sharply decline. This is due to a decrease in mental strength or loss of interest. Such people differ from the rest in sharp and quick movements, as well as vivid expressions of feelings in facial expressions of speech. Slight sensitivity is observed in sanguine people. These people easily adapt to a changing environment. That is why external factors do not always have a negative impact on their behavior.
Phlegmatic people are distinguished by sensitive rigidity. Such people have a slow course of psychological processes. The phenomenon of excitation in phlegmatic people is balanced by strong inhibition. That is why such people are able to restrain their impulses.
Melancholic people are characterized by increased vulnerability and emotional sensitivity. They react very painfully to a sudden complication of the situation. In dangerous situations, they have a feeling of intense fear. In dealing with strangers, melancholic people feel very insecure.
Sensitivity is a characteristic of a person that expresses an increased, individual sensitivity to external events and is accompanied by anxiety before new incidents. Sensitivity is expressed in such individual traits as shyness, timidity, increased impressionability, low self-esteem, sharp self-criticism, a tendency to prolonged experiences, an inferiority complex.
With age, high sensitivity can decrease, since a person in the process of self-education can overcome anxiety in himself before upcoming events.
The level of sensitivity is determined by the innate characteristics of a person (heredity, organic lesions of the brain) or the characteristics (conditions) of raising a child.
In psychology, the concept of sensitivity is used together with the synonyms "sensitivity" and "sensitivity". Along with this, there is also the phenomenon of "insensitivity", it is expressed in the absence of a reaction to events and actions of people, assessments. Insensitivity is manifested in complete indifference, lack of physical sensations, tactlessness and inattention to others.
Sensitivity in psychology
The concept of sensitivity in psychology is a person's experience of increased sensitivity, vulnerability and self-doubt. Sensitive people often complain that no one perceives or understands them. When contacting a psychologist, sensitive clients talk about the unfriendliness of others in relation to them, which makes it difficult for them to establish a communicative connection. They often consider themselves unworthy, bad, think that they are worse than others. It is difficult for them to cope with problems on their own, because they are too constrained and shy.
The concept of sensitivity refers to the personal characteristics and qualities of an individual, it is expressed in excessive sensitivity and easy vulnerability, conscientiousness, a tendency to doubt actions and focus on experiences. This sensitivity can be a constant characteristic of a person or it can appear from time to time.
Sensitivity, what is it in psychology? High sensitivity hinders, because such a person believes that the whole world is opposed to him alone. Social sensitivity is in front of a variety of social situations. People who have too high social sensitivity often consider themselves flawed, therefore they are afraid of meeting new people, do not dare to speak in public and try to avoid any social activity.
With manifestations of such symptoms, it is necessary to consult a psychologist. An experienced psychologist will conduct an individual psychological conversation, determine the correct treatment strategy to alleviate the client's condition with severe sensitivity.
Sensitivity can be the result of various mental disorders (stress conditions, organic brain diseases, anxiety disorders, endogenous mental disorders).
Sensitivity can be different depending on temperament.
The level of sensitivity is expressed by the strength of external influences necessary for the occurrence of a certain psychological reaction. For example, certain circumstances may not cause any reactions at all in one person, while in another they cause strong excitement. So, and are more sensitive and impressionable, therefore they are more sensitive than and who do not attach much importance to situations that could affect them.
Age sensitivity
Age sensitivity is a phenomenon that occurs at a certain stage of individual development and expresses a person's sensitivity to various influences from the external environment.
Pedagogy and developmental psychology deal with age sensitivity. Knowledge of sensitive age periods helps in the development of the necessary abilities. So, for example, at the age of 2-3 years, a child is able to quickly master the language, which means that this age is sensitive for the development of the linguistic function. If you miss a very important sensitive stage, the child will not return to it, and in the future there may be difficulties with the formation of appropriate abilities.
Sensitive age periods serve as an opportunity for the child to acquire the desired and necessary skills and abilities, behaviors and knowledge. Only during the sensitive period is it possible to easily learn to do something in the best way, after this period, it will not be so easy to do it.
Sensitive age periods last for some time, regardless of whether the individual has managed to master the necessary action, and if you miss it, the opportunity will go away and it will be more difficult for a person to cope with the need to master the necessary action.
A person is not able to somehow influence the occurrence of sensitive periods. The main thing is that parents should know what they can do to ensure that the child's sensitive period passes as successfully as possible.
Therefore, parents are obliged to know about the sensitive periods in the life of the child, to recognize the characteristic features, to work on their development; observe all manifestations of the intensive stages of the course of the sensitive period, which is desirable to do for a normal assessment of the development of the crumbs; predict the next sensitive period and create a favorable environment for the development of the child.
Age sensitive periods are universal, which means that regardless of religion, nationality, cultural differences, they still occur at the right time.
These periods are individual, that is, the exact time of occurrence and duration are determined biologically for each in their own way. Therefore, the idea of a frontal approach to learning, especially up to six years, is not correct. Also, a variety of educational programs, except for individual ones, may not correspond to the real age of the child. So, for example, if a child is five years old, then this does not mean at all that, in terms of psychological parameters, he fully corresponds to this biological age.
Still important is such a factor as the dynamics of the course of the sensitive period, which, together with the average terms, does not guarantee that absolutely every child will go through the age sensitivity in this mode.
As a result, there is a fundamental need for functional diagnostics of the individual development of children (determination of personal characteristics in order to work on their development in the future).
Each age sensitive period is characterized by a gentle, slow onset, which is sometimes very difficult to detect if you do not know about its approach, do not assume the likelihood of its onset and do not engage with the child, focusing on the zone of its proximal development; peak point (highest intensity stage) that is easiest to observe. Also, the sensitive period is characterized by a gentle decline in intensity.
Age-related sensitive periods occur at about the same time, but can be of high intensity at different stages.
Sensitivity training
Sensitivity training or as it is also called interpersonal sensitivity training arose on the basis of the practice of T-groups. Psychologist Carl Rogers identified two main types of group work - these are "groups for organizational development" and "sensitivity training".
Sensitivity training is called "encounter groups".
Sensitivity training is a group dynamic training. The concept of sensitivity includes the quality of the ability to predict the emotions, thoughts and actions of another person, the ability to perceive, realize and remember the socio-psychological characteristics of other individuals or entire groups, and on this basis to predict behavior and activities.
In this context, psychologist G. Smith identifies several types of sensitivity:
- observational (the ability to observe and remember how a person looked and what he said);
- theoretical (the use of different theories to interpret the behavior, thoughts and feelings of people);
- nomothetic (understanding a typical individual as a representative of a certain group and using this knowledge in predicting the behavior of people who are part of this group);
- ideographic sensitivity (understanding and perception of the peculiarity of the behavior of any person).
The main task of sensitivity training is to improve a person's ability to understand and understand other people. There are two types of goals: immediate goals and highly organized ones.
Immediate goals:
- increasing the self-awareness of the participants in connection with the acquisition of knowledge about how others perceive the behavior of others;
- an increase in susceptibility to the group process, to the actions of others that are associated with the perception of communicative stimuli perceived from others;
- perception of conditions that complicate or facilitate the functioning of the group;
— formation of diagnostic skills in the field of interpersonal communication;
- development of skills for successful inclusion in intergroup and intragroup situations.
Highly Organized Goals:
- developing in a person the ability to explore his role and experiment with it;
— development of the authenticity of interpersonal relationships;
- expanding knowledge about other people;
- developing the ability to cooperate with others.
Objectives of sensitivity training:
— development of various behavioral skills;
- increasing understanding between group members and self-understanding;
- sensory awareness of group processes;
- teaching and training opportunities that increase social competence.
In general, the main goals of sensitivity training are defined as increasing susceptibility to group phenomena, strengthening the perception of group processes; understanding of one's own life and the inner life of other personalities; the formation of susceptibility to one's social roles and others, to their positions and attitudes; development of sincerity, openness and spontaneity of reactions.
The above goals of sensitivity training are carried out through interpersonal interaction and relationships, with the help of an analysis of the group process, its components such as group goals, norms, roles, group structures, leadership problems, tension and others. In this regard, sensitivity training is similar to the methods of group psychotherapy, but unlike it, it focuses on the here and now event, the study of group processes, human behavior in a team, and its influence on others.
Sensitivity training is very often used in the training of psychotherapists: in particular, group psychotherapists. Thanks to these trainings, future psychotherapists develop sensitivity to group phenomena, develop the ability to adequately assess attitudes, relationships, psychological problems and conflicts of individuals, based on interpersonal interaction, improve understanding of their own personality, attitudes, needs, etc.
Sensitivity training for future psychotherapists is aimed at solving certain tasks in order to be more sensitive to group phenomena or to establish a deeper self-understanding and to implement in the classes the wide opportunities provided in the form of training.
Sensitivity training uses psychotechnical exercises and various role-playing games, they are divided into three types. The first consists of exercises that affect the whole group and each of its participants, they are focused on organizing efficiency at the beginning of classes and maintaining it throughout the day.
The second type - these are exercises and games aimed at establishing contact between participants, awareness and perception of the emotional states of group members, at developing observation, the ability to understand the properties, qualities, states and relationships between people and groups.
And the third type is made up of exercises and games for the acquisition of feedback. It is here that a strong bond is developed between the participants. Regardless of the type of training, work begins with the creation of performance, the purpose of which is to organize a group atmosphere. 
Sensitivity (self-doubt) is a mental phenomenon, expressed in increased susceptibility and impressionability of people and the mechanism of their entry into conflicts. Because of sensitivity and vulnerability, anger and resentment are carried by sensitive people without expressing them. The state is aggravated by experiences, protective mechanisms do not work. When suppressed aggression stagnates, such individuals experience sudden emotional outbursts.
concept
Sensitivity is a characterological feature of a person, expressed in increased sensitivity, which is colored by anxiety before new events. Individual manifestations are as follows:
- low self-esteem;
- hypersensitivity;
- timidity;
- shyness;
- sharp self-criticism;
- inferiority complex;
- propensity for prolonged experiences.
The level of sensitivity in interpersonal communication is most influenced by the innate characteristics of a person:
- features of the received upbringing;
- heredity;
- organic lesions of the brain.
With age, in the process of self-education, a person is able to reduce the level of his sensitivity, extortion in himself a sense of anxiety before new events.
In psychology, sensitivity is considered as a manifestation of excessive sensitivity or insensitivity, characterized by a complete lack of emotional reaction to the actions and behavior of people around. Insensitivity manifests itself:
- complete indifference;
- lack of physical sensations;
- tactlessness and inattention to other people.
Personal behavior in society
Individuals with a high level of sensitivity are difficult to adapt in society. They experience problems in various life situations in which they are forced to face other people. As a result of interaction, sensitive relationships arise, burdened by:
- 1. Difficulties in establishing a communicative connection due to the fact that the attitude of other people towards them is perceived as unfriendly and even hostile.
- 2. The influence of different social situations associated with new events and acquaintances. Patients experience sensitive fear due to:
- feelings of inferiority;
- fear of public speaking;
- refusal of social activity;
- avoiding new acquaintances.
With manifestations of symptoms of this kind, you need to seek help from a psychologist. The right treatment strategy, chosen by an experienced specialist, will help to significantly alleviate the condition associated with increased sensitivity.
Kinds
From the point of view of psychology, sensitivity as a property of a person is interpreted through the ability to perceive the characteristics of the character and feelings of different people and predict their behavior. Interpersonal sensitivity is divided into the following types:
- 1. Observational, based on the ability to immediately notice all the manifestations of the qualities of other people: appearance, speech, behavior.
- 2. Theoretical - the use of different theories that explain and predict the thoughts, feelings and behavior of another person.
- 3. Nomothetic - identifying the main features of a representative of a social group, predicting the behavior of people belonging to this group.
The concept of intercultural sensitivity includes the ability for perceptual assessment, structuring the characteristics of representatives of different national groups and effective prediction of people's behavior.
- 4. Ideographic, characterized by the skill of understanding the originality and individual characteristics of a particular person.
Development of sensitivity
Developmental sensitivity has its origins in childhood. The reasons may be various situations in the family:
- 1. When parents are too strict with their child, the answer may be constant avoidance of contact, solitude, isolation and closeness in their world. The child does this subconsciously, trying to avoid punishment and censure.
- 2. Lack of affection, attention, emotional rejection of the child in the family provokes the development of sensitivity, which manifests itself:
- isolation;
- unsociableness;
- anxiety.
3.The appearance of sensitivity due to the absence of a father is common:
- birth out of wedlock;
- death of a parent
- father with little interest in the child.
This is associated with the emergence of a conflict between "to be" and "to be able", dictated by a strict I-ideal. The situation is aggravated by the participation of the mother, expressed:
- increased attention;
- affection;
- protecting the child from adversity;
- idealization of his qualities.
On the one hand, a sensitive person is vulnerable, impressionable, and on the other, conceited. A strong function of the Superego is formed, which is expressed by dependence on the assessment of surrounding people, often expressed through a sensitive fear of condemnation.
Age sensitivity
Age sensitivity reflects a person's sensitivity to the influence of the external environment at a certain stage of development.
An important discovery of L. S. Vygotsky in child psychology is the definition of age periods that are most favorable for the development of certain functions. Periodization has the following form:
- newborn;
- infancy: 2 months - 1 year;
- early childhood: 1–3 years;
- preschool age: 3–7 years;
- school: 8–12 years;
- pubertal: 14–17 years.
This knowledge is used in pedagogy to determine the age that is favorable for the child's education, development and enrichment of his physical, intellectual, emotional, social and cultural capabilities.
In the life of every child there are periods in which nature itself provides favorable conditions for the development of mental properties in him, which ensure susceptibility to the acquisition of certain knowledge. These periods are considered sensitive.
sensitive periods
The sensitive period is a part of a child's life, characterized by optimal conditions for the development of his psychological qualities for a certain type of activity.
These stages have a time limit. Having missed one of the periods of mental development, one will have to spend a lot of effort and time in the future to fill the gap. Some of the mental functions may not manifest themselves later. Examples are cases when children who spent their childhood among animals were returned to society. No rehabilitation programs could teach them either full-fledged speech or adaptation to new conditions. These children continued to copy the life and habits of animals.
The sensitive period is the time of optimal opportunities for the most harmonious formation of the properties of the psyche, reflecting the ability to change in accordance with external circumstances.
It is extremely important in the first years of life a variety of activities, environment, emotions for the formation of a person. Lack of knowledge, skills, emotions, mental and physical development in childhood is an irreparable gap in his later life.
