Environmental sensitivity predicts interpersonal sensitivity above and beyond Big Five personality traits

Abstract

We investigated whether environmental sensitivity, as measured by the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS), predicts constructs related to interpersonal sensitivity above and beyond Big Five traits. In Study 1 (N = 1377), we first examined the HSPS factor structure and found a two-factor solution to be most optimal. We then found that the two HSPS factors were significantly associated with constructs related to three domains of interpersonal sensitivity such as empathy (positive interpersonal sensitivity), social anxiety (negative interpersonal sensitivity), and theory of mind (social cognitive ability), and explained unique variance above and beyond neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness. In Study 2 (N = 1240), we replicated most of these findings after statistically controlling for all Big Five personality traits.