2026/05/15 by Danièle A. Gubler, Matthias Ertl, Tobias Janelt +2
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies #Eating Disorders and Behaviors #Motor Control and Adaptation
paper · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2026.104730
Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) refers to individual differences in how sensory information is perceived and processed and is assumed to reflect heightened sensory sensitivity, implying lower sensory thresholds. In this study, we examined associations between SPS (DOES and the Highly Sensitive Person Scale) and objectively measured detection and pain thresholds across auditory, visual, thermal, olfactory, and vestibular modalities in 150 female participants, who also provided modality-specific self-ratings. The results showed no systematic associations between objective thresholds across modalities and no consistent relationships between SPS and objective thresholds. In contrast, SPS was small to moderately associated with subjective sensitivity ratings, particularly for pain thresholds. Overall, the findings suggest that SPS reflects differences in subjective appraisal rather than enhanced objective sensory sensitivity.