ABSTRACT
Fundamentally, the contributors to this volume are interested in both the aptitude and achievement related to an individual knowing and understanding others. A person is considered sensitive if he or she can perceive or otherwise respond appropriately to the internal states (e.g., cognitive, affective, motivational) of another, understand the antecedents of those states, and predict the subsequent affective, cognitive, and behavioral events that will result. The presumption is that similar to other intellectual, physical, and emotional competencies, this ability should enable an individual to function more effectively in day-to-day life by facilitating interaction with others. Interpersonal sensitivity, then, can be defined most generally as the ability to sense, perceive accurately, and respond appropriately to one’s personal, interpersonal, and social environment.
