Research published in psychological report labeling oneself as a “highly sensitive person” may be a manipulation tactic used by those with dark personality traits, particularly narcissism and psychopathy, to sway the behavior of others and gain an advantage. suggests that there is a
The researchers conducted this study to better understand a structure known as sensory processing sensitivity, which refers to individual differences in sensitivity to internal and external stimuli. This trait is well known in public as a “highly sensitive person”, and some people recognize it as such on online forums, expressing their need for special consideration and understanding.
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sensitivity to external stimuli and the propensity to communicate that sensitivity to others, as well as to consider the role of dark personality traits (dark triad). The researchers suggest that “positive signaling of specific needs,” in which individuals purely express their sensitivities to alert others of their own specific stimulation needs, and that expressions of high susceptibility are used as manipulation strategies. We hypothesized two possibilities of “deceptive signaling”.
“Given the benefits that can be gained from exhibiting victimhood, one might think of publicly exposing one’s weaknesses and being held back by one’s personal limitations is a two-sided social strategy. On the one hand, it may help people with certain hypersensitivities (such as neuroses) to better meet their needs in everyday social interactions. Numerous studies have shown that is also used as a deception strategy by individuals with high levels of the Dark Triad, such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy,” the researchers wrote.
To conduct this study, researchers recruited 201 people through an online survey using a snowball sampling method. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 67 years and were mostly female. Participants completed various questionnaires, including measures of sensitivity to reward and punishment, sensitivity to sensory processing, and dark triad traits (narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy).
Participants also responded to a newly developed scale to assess sensitive signals for influencing others. The scale included items such as “if you admit that you are a highly sensitive person, it will be easier to persuade others to support you”.
The researchers found a weak association between sensitivity to sensory processing and increased sensitivity to signaling to influence others. This suggests that individuals with high scores on sensory processing sensitivity, which reflects increased depth of stimulus processing and awareness of environmental subtleties, do not necessarily make their sensitivity known to others as often. I mean
There is a statistically significant difference between the high sensitivity of signaling to affect others and the susceptibility of the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), which is associated with the tendency to respond with vigilance and restraint to aversive and threatening stimuli. had a relatively weak association. This finding is consistent with the researchers’ proposed ‘positive signaling of specific needs’ hypothesis.
However, there was also a positive association between highly sensitive signaling to influence others and the behavioral approach system (BAS). BAS is primarily related to reward responsiveness and reflects an individual’s motivation for positive outcomes. This finding suggests that individuals with high reward responsiveness are more likely to engage in positive self-presentation strategies, such as being highly receptive, to elicit positive responses from others.
Furthermore, those who scored higher on dark personality traits, particularly narcissism and psychopathy, were more likely to engage in exhibiting high sensitivity to influence others. This finding supports the ‘deceptive signaling’ hypothesis, in which the expression of hypersensitivity may be a manipulative interpersonal strategy employed by pompous and callous individuals to gain an edge in social interactions. indicates that there is
This suggests that individuals with dark personality traits may use perceived sensitivity as a means of garnering sympathy or special treatment from others. “The results showed that sensitive signaling is also a deceptive interpersonal strategy used by hyperbole and insensitive operators,” the researchers wrote.
Overall, this study suggests that communicating high sensitivity to influence others is a complex phenomenon involving both sincere expression of sensitivity and manipulative strategies. While some highly susceptible individuals may use this strategy purely to adapt social interactions to their own unique needs, others, particularly those who are hyper-reactive and gloomy with rewards, may People with personality traits may use this strategy as a calculated tactic to elicit a particular response from others.
the study, “Sensitive Signaling to Influence Others: Early Evidence for the Role of Reinforcement Sensitivity, Sensory Processing Sensitivity, and the Dark Triadwas written by Martyna Kajdzik and Marcin Moroń.
