A REVIEW OF EMOTIONAL REACTIVITY IN SENSORY PROCESSING SENSITIVITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) is an innate personality trait affecting 20-30% of the population. It is characterized by increased responsiveness to environmental and sensory stimuli which leads to deeper information processing. Emotional reactivity influences how individuals interpret, perceive, and respond to the different stimuli in their environment. This literature review was conducted through a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed articles to gather the most contextually relevant studies examining the environmental, psychological, and neurobiological factors influencing SPS and emotional reactivity. The objective of this work is to explore the relationship between sensory processing sensitivity and emotional reactivity while highlighting implications on psychological well-being. The findings of this literature review reveal that highly sensitive individuals consistently demonstrate heightened emotional reactivity which is influenced by an interplay of neurobiological, genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. An individual’s environment and cognitive interpretation of external stimuli play a critical role in determining whether SPS will contribute to psychological resilience or distress. Key limitations include a reliance on self-reported data, cross-sectional methodologies, and limited population diversity. This review concludes with recommendations to guide future research to better understand the intersection of SPS, emotional reactivity, and well-being across the life span.