Last year the singer Lorde became the latest celebrity to identify as a "highly sensitive person", telling Vogue that her personality profile means that she just "isn't built for pop star life" and that she needs long stretches of time to be by herself to recover from the demands of her work.
Lorde joins other superstars, such as Kanye West and Nicole Kidman, who have also labelled themselves in this way, apparently finding that it helps them make sense of their own experiences.
WHEN DID THE TERM 'HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON' ARISE?
These celebs did not invent the term 'highly sensitive person'. It originated in an obscure 1996 counselling paper by the US psychologist Elaine Aron and then gained traction in a much-cited 1997 research paper that she co-authored with her husband Arthur Aron, in which the pair claimed the highly sensitive personality profile was related to, but different from, being shy or introverted. Moreover, a key feature of being a highly sensitive person, they observed, is having "sensory processing sensitivity".
WHAT IS SENSORY PROCESSING SENSITIVITY?
Based on interviews that the two Arons conducted with dozens of sensitive students, they concluded that having sensory processing sensitivity manifests in various ways, including being more sensitive than usual to "subtleties, the arts, caffeine, hunger, pain, change, overstimulation, strong sensory input, others' moods, violence in the media, and being observed".
Overall, highly sensitive people - which the Arons estimated accounts for between 15 to 20 per cent of us are more affected by the external world than average, they reflect on and process things more deeply, and they are more empathic.
This story is from the June 2022 edition of BBC Science Focus.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2022 edition of BBC Science Focus.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
