Each person is a world and each of us has different personality characteristics that make us unique. While some individuals are colder and show little in the way of feelings, others are quite the opposite: they are very sensitive.

In psychology those individuals who process sensory data more deeply due to the biological nature of their nervous system are known as emotional people , or highly sensitive people (PAS). At least this is what some experts in the field have tried to demonstrate.

In this article we will discuss some features and characteristics of emotional people.

The concept of emotional people

Surely all of us know someone who is very sensitive, since scientific studies seem to indicate that 1 in 5 people possess this personality characteristic.

Some psychologists think there’s a type of individual called a “highly sensitive person” (HSP), a term that psychologist Elaine Aron coined in the early 1990s. This thought arises from the publication of her book “The Highly Sensitive Person,” which made her a pioneer and principal leader of this idea. Also has come to be called emotional persons as a simplification of the concept .

How Individuals with High Emotionality Are

Sensitivity is a characteristic or trait that everyone has to some degree or another, but while some individuals are moderately sensitive, others are excessively so. In general, emotional people have a number of singularities :

  • They process sensory data more deeply due to biological differences within the nervous system.
  • Between 15 and 20% of people are emotional.
  • The number of men and women who are highly sensitive is similar.
  • Emotional people begin to show signs of such sensitivity from the moment of birth

If you want to know more about PAS, you can read our article: “Highly Sensitive People (PAS), a New Personality Trait?

Characteristics of Emotional People

Studies seem to indicate that the highly sensitive personality trait appears in more than 100 animal species, and according to this theory, the reason lies in l to processing depth , which is responsible for a greater propensity to overstimulation, emotional reactivity, empathy and sensitivity to stimuli.

This type of person has a number of characteristics. To understand this better, below you can find 10 characteristics of emotional people:

1. are very empathetic

This type of person is very sensitive to the emotions of others, and easily puts himself in the place of the other , unlike narcissistic people. By feeling emotions more deeply and intensely, they also perceive what others feel more easily and are more sensitive to their feelings.

Empathy is undoubtedly one of the best qualities of human beings. However, too much of it can cause problems, for example, when making decisions in a rational way.

2. are more intuitive

Emotional people tend to be very intuitive, since they are more sensitive to context and more connected to their emotions . Furthermore, they have the ability to process environmental subtleties consciously or unconsciously, which is as if they process more information than others without even trying.

3. are more creative

Studies show that these types of individuals are more creative. In fact, a large number of emotional people are attracted to and develop in creative fields such as art, music, dance, theatre, etc . If you want to know more about creativity, you can visit our article: “The 7 personality traits of creative people”

4. They take longer to make a decision

Because emotional people collect more subtleties , they usually spend more time thinking and processing information before participating in and contributing to a discussion. They tend to be people who reason more and therefore take longer to make a decision or take action, because they are more aware of the consequences and nuances in the meaning of their decisions. They tend to consider more options and possible outcomes before making a decision.

5. They often feel misunderstood

We live in a society that tends to avoid emotions, where being sensitive is even frowned upon. This type of person tends to hear phrases like: “Don’t worry so much”, “You think too much”, etc. Emotional people may feel that they are misunderstood .

This is most noticeable in the case of men, who culturally have to give an image of strength and protection that does not always fit with that of a sensitive personality. PAS should not be confused with introversion or extraversion. In fact, while many emotional people are introverted, 30% of them are extroverted.

6. Are more respectful and polite

Emotional people are very conscious and empathetic, therefore they are respectful of others. Being more sensitive to the feelings of others , they don’t like to do to others what they don’t want for them. Furthermore, they understand better the reactions of others and how their behaviour affects interpersonal relationships, so they tend to be more polite.

7. They are very sensitive to criticism

Being empathetic and emotionally sensitive also means that the person fits in worse with criticism. This happens because they experience emotions more strongly and process information more deeply , both for good and for bad.

They find criticism very hurtful because they take it so personally. Some often employ certain strategies to minimize the likelihood of being criticized. For example, they avoid situations where they might experience criticism or they hang out with nice people.

8. They react in a very passionate way

Because emotional people experience life more intensely and feel more emotional pain than others . Therefore, they respond and react more intensely than others in a given situation, as they have a greater response to pain, discomfort and emotional experience. They are more susceptible to crying and react more passionately.

9. They work well together

Since emotional people are reflective people and possess social skills such as empathy, they often offer commitment, understanding and wisdom to a team project . Also, when it comes to decision making, they are good at exploring different approaches and solutions, as well as analysing the pros and cons. However, they may falter when it comes to making the final decision.

10. Are more susceptible to anxiety or depression

Such people absorb positive emotions easily, but also negative ones. Because unpleasant experiences affect everyone , but especially these people , who are more likely to suffer from anxiety or depression. This type of individual tends to be reflective and re-create themselves on their emotional side, so difficult situations also have a much greater impact on them and are difficult to overcome.