por What is social sensitivity?
The social sensitivity It is the ability to identify, perceive, and understand cues and contexts in social interactions. It means to what extent a person understands the feelings and thoughts of others and to what extent he is familiar with the general knowledge of social norms.
Through the application of the concept of social sensitivity, people are able to know the feelings of the other. The fundamental principle of social sensitivity resides in the broad knowledge of social norms.
For example, a socially sensitive person understands conversation signals and stops talking in order to listen to the other. The opposite would be an individual who only listens to himself, interrupts, or talks about others, ignoring social cues to stop talking.
Social sensitivity has become part of social intelligence and they share some similar characteristics. It is considered an important social skill, because it plays an important role in group performance.
Research shows that social sensitivity in a group is closely correlated with the level of collective intelligence, which is defined as an overall ability of the group (not just one group member) to perform a wide range of tasks. In other words, if people are socially sensitive in a group, they perform well collectively.
Characteristics of people with social sensitivity
They have a great imagination (they are creative).
They perceive the feelings of others.
They are good listeners and tend to be warm and caring people in their relationships.
They have good social relationships and adapt well in all situations.
They accept people for who they are, with their differences.
They have extensive knowledge of social rules and norms.
They express deep concern about the appropriateness of their behavior and the behavior of others.
They work with a lot of passion.
They are conscientious and compassionate.
They are intuitive, careful and spiritual.
They respect and enjoy nature, art and music.
They are objective and can see beyond what others see.
They take responsibility for social problems.
They are interested in world affairs.
They seek to improve the mood of others.
In work groups, socially sensitive people tend to contribute new ideas, correctly perceive and respond to the needs of team members, creating a positive environment to produce new ideas, question work and share responsibilities.
Ways to Manage Social Sensitivity Skills
In accordance with The highly sensitive person’s survival guide (The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide) by Elaine Aron, people with social sensitivity must develop the ability to manage their skills. The reasons are given below.
Emotionally, highly sensitive individuals are easily stimulated to a point where they can experience great pain or great joy. They can have the combination of an introvert and an extrovert, because in their personality traits they need to focus on themselves, but they also like to connect with other people and their environment.
Highly sensitive people need time and space to be alone and process what they absorb. When it comes to sensations, they may have a low tolerance for noise or anything too loud, so it is wise for them to connect with nature and engage in regular exercise, relaxation, meditation, and other activities that go with their nature, to calm down after the over stimulation.
In addition, they have to learn to find a balance to give and receive love. It’s important to realize that self-sacrifice that leads to emotional deprivation is unhealthy. These individuals have to find meaning in their lives. All humanity wants it, but for these people it is a real necessity. Their deepest desire is to help others to be happy, and they can use their abilities to bring out their creative side and make this world a better place for everyone, even if it is from a small step.
Studies on social sensitivity
According to Baldwin M. Camino, genes that affect brain function can influence the adoption and formation of cultural norms and, in turn, culture can also shape gene expression and selection.
According to the studies of Caspi and Kim-Cohen, in the interaction between genes and environment, it was observed that exposure to abuse or other maltreatment during childhood significantly increases the probability of engaging in antisocial behaviors in adulthood.
According to Fiske, in collectivist cultures, relationships are enduring due to social ties that are materialized by mutual obligations between members of the family, clan, or religion. These relationships are so outstanding that the I is defined by the they.
Adams and Plaut argue in their research that in individualistic cultures, where there is a high degree of focus on personal autonomy, individual needs often supersede group needs. Therefore, relationships are more transitory, which can lead to the perception that the individual is not a part of a social network.
According to Yamaguchi’s research, increased sensitivity to cues of rejection, and increased concern about the consequences of rejection, could lead to subdued in-group interest, a hallmark of collectivism. This can encourage the reification of social relationships in order to reduce the risk of losing one’s own social network.
Examples of social sensitivity
Empathy: it is the ability to put yourself in the place of others, understand and share their point of view. A person with social sensitivity will show empathy towards the difficulties and joys of others, which favors deeper connections and a better understanding of the needs of others. Social activism: it is the active participation in social causes and working for positive change in society. Socially sensitive people can get involved in social movements, awareness campaigns or non-profit organizations to address social problems such as poverty, inequality, violence or discrimination. Environmental awareness: it is the awareness of environmental problems and acting responsibly to preserve and protect the environment. A socially sensitive person cares about the impact of their actions on the natural environment and takes steps to reduce their ecological footprint, such as recycling, conserving energy, and supporting sustainable initiatives. Accepting diversity: is recognizing and respecting the diversity of people, including their ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation, abilities and more. Respect and tolerance towards differences are shown, promoting inclusion and equal opportunities. Social responsibility: is being aware of the impact of our actions on society and making ethical decisions that benefit others. A socially sensitive person considers the collective well-being and acts responsibly, whether through voluntary activities, donations or responsible business practices.
References
Karen Combs. Social Sensitivity: It’s What Makes Groups Smart. Recovered from cebglobal.com.
Baldwin M. Camino and Matthew D. Lieberman. Collectivism, individualism and genetic markers of social sensitivity. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Retrieved from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Dmitry Sokolov. What is Social Sensitivity. Retrieved from confocal-manawatu.pbworks.com.
Michelle Roya Rad. Characteristics of Highly-Sensitive People. Recovered from huffingtonpost.com.