The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You

Since its publication, The Highly Sensitive Person has become widely regarded as a foundational resource for the study of high sensitivity. For example, psychologist Philip G. Zimbardo, himself well known for his studies of shyness, stated that Aron’s book “suggests new paths for making sensitivity a blessing, not a handicap” (back cover). The book has spawned many other books, lectures, and websites devoted to understanding high sensitivity and providing support for HSPs. Many HSPs recognize themselves in Aron’s descriptions and credit the book with giving them a new self-awareness. The Highly Sensitive Person lent public visibility to a formerly “invisible” personality trait and added a new term to the lexicon.

At the same time, critical questions have been raised about possible limitations of the concept of high sensitivity and about the rigorousness of the science underlying the book. Psychologist Amanda Moses has suggested that the “HSP construct” as outlined by Aron is “too vague to conform to the standards of scientific validation” and has potential overlaps with other clinical conditions including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Moses opines that such overlaps should be further investigated (“A Critical Analysis of the Highly Sensitive Person Construct.