中文导读 华盛顿州立大学心理学助理教授 Kim Meidenbauer 与同事在《Journal of Environmental Psychology》发表新研究：通过分析芝加哥居民用手机应用完成的逾3800份调查，比较环境敏感性与户外街区、公园体验。结果显示，高度敏感者对不适气温、气味或噪声等日常物理条件并不更情绪化，却对社会线索以及安全或潜在威胁的迹象更敏感。本文据该校2026年10月15日新闻稿改写。
正文 Some people say they feel everything more deeply . Psychologists call this trait environmental sensitivity , and many readers know it as being a highly sensitive person . On October 15, 2026, Washington State University reported a new study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology that asks a careful question : do highly sensitive people react more strongly to everyday physical conditions , or mainly to social cues around them ?
本段译文 有些人说自己对一切感受都更深。心理学家称这种特质为环境敏感性，许多读者则称之为高度敏感者。2026年10月15日，华盛顿州立大学介绍了发表于《Journal of Environmental Psychology》的一项新研究，提出一个审慎的问题：高度敏感者是对日常物理条件反应更强，还是主要对身边的社会线索更敏感？
Lead author Kim Meidenbauer , an assistant professor of psychology at WSU , and her colleagues analyzed more than 3,800 surveys from Chicago residents . Through a smartphone app , people recorded their emotions and rated outdoor neighborhoods and parks . The team then compared those ratings with measures of environmental sensitivity to see what kinds of surroundings mattered most .
本段译文 第一作者、华盛顿州立大学心理学助理教授 Kim Meidenbauer 与同事分析了芝加哥居民完成的逾3800份调查。人们通过智能手机应用记录情绪，并对户外街区和公园打分。研究团队再将这些评价与环境敏感性测量对照，看哪些环境因素最重要。
The results challenged a common idea . Highly sensitive participants were not more emotionally reactive to ordinary physical conditions such as uncomfortable temperatures , unpleasant smells or noisy streets . Instead , they appeared especially attuned to social cues and signs of safety or possible threat . A street with trash or graffiti could raise stronger unease , while a place where people interacted warmly could give a stronger emotional lift
本段译文 结果挑战了常见看法。高度敏感的参与者对不适气温、难闻气味或嘈杂街道等普通物理条件，并不比他人更情绪化。相反，他们似乎对社会线索以及安全或潜在威胁的迹象特别敏感。堆满垃圾或涂鸦的街道可能引发更强不安，而人们互动温暖的地方则可能带来更强的情绪提升。
Perceived safety , orderliness and friendly interactions among nearby people were more strongly linked to positive emotions in highly sensitive participants . The researchers found no clear evidence that the trait amplified reactions to air quality , temperature or noise in these everyday settings . Meidenbauer said the finding may reassure people who identify as highly sensitive : the trait does not necessarily mean a stronger emotional response to every part of the surroundings
本段译文 在高度敏感的参与者中，感知到的安全、整洁以及附近人们的友善互动，与积极情绪的关联更强。研究者未发现明确证据表明，在这些日常场景中，该特质会放大对空气质量、气温或噪声的反应。Meidenbauer 表示，这一发现或许能让自认高度敏感的人安心：该特质并不必然意味着对周围每一部分都有更强情绪反应。
Earlier work has linked the trait to genetics . A previous study of nearly 2,900 teenage twins suggested genetics may explain nearly half of the differences in sensitivity . Most past research focused on childhood experiences , trauma and major life events . The new work extends the question to ordinary outdoor places and asks what the standard questionnaire actually measures social and emotional sensitivity as much as physical comfort
本段译文 此前研究已将该特质与基因联系起来。一项对近2900对青少年双胞胎的研究提示，基因或许能解释敏感性差异中近一半的部分。以往多数研究聚焦童年经历、创伤和重大生活事件。新工作把问题延伸到普通户外场所，并追问标准问卷究竟在测什么——社会与情绪敏感性，可能不亚于身体舒适感。
The study has clear limits . It does not rule out stronger reactions to extreme heat or severe air pollution . Meidenbauer’s lab is also testing whether other personality traits and weather preferences better explain why people differ in the same places . For now , the message is focused : highly sensitive people may be less defined by physical comfort alone , and more by how welcoming or threatening human spaces feel .
本段译文 研究也有明确局限。它并不排除对极端高温或严重空气污染仍可能有更强反应。Meidenbauer 的实验室还在检验其他人格特质与天气偏好，能否更好解释人们在同一场所中的差异。目前结论很集中：高度敏感者或许较少仅由身体舒适来界定，而更多取决于人际空间显得欢迎还是威胁。
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