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Sensitivity

Psychology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Heightened emotional or sensory receptivity, often reflected in poetry through nuanced perception and empathetic expression.

Detailed Definition
Sensitivity enables deep perception but also vulnerability. Poetry honors it through delicate imagery, nuanced observation, or empathetic reach, framing it as both gift and burden in a harsh world.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Mary Oliver’s “The Swan,” sensitivity allows the speaker to inhabit the bird’s grace; In Emily Dickinson’s “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,” sensitivity collapses sensory boundaries; In Sylvia Plath’s “Tulips,” sensitivity reacts to intrusive flowers; In Warsan Shire’s “Home,” sensitivity voices the refugee’s impossible choices; In Ocean Vuong’s “Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong,” sensitivity weaves shame and tenderness; In Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays,” sensitivity reinterprets a father’s love.
Additional Notes
Sensitivity—heightened responsiveness—is both gift and burden in poetry (Dickinson, Plath); differs from fragility by its perceptiveness; poetic techniques include sensory detail, metaphor, or nuanced diction; students should consider whether sensitivity is protected or exposed; note its gendering—sensitivity often coded feminine.
Also Known As
Emotional responsiveness Empathy Receptivity Tender-heartedness Tenderness
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