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Highly Sensitive Person Test: Are You an Orchid, Tulip, or Dandelion?
Personality
Take our free Highly Sensitive Person Test to measure your Sensory Processing Sensitivity. Discover if you are a resilient Dandelion, a flexible Tulip, or a deeply feeling Orchid.
Do you often feel physically exhausted after a busy day, even if you weren't "doing" much? Do you find yourself startling easily at loud noises, or feeling deeply moved by music and art in a way others don't seem to understand? Have you spent your life being told you are "too sensitive" or "too dramatic"?
You are likely not "broken"—you may simply be a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP). This Highly Sensitive Person Test is designed to help you understand your unique nervous system. It measures a trait known as Sensory Processing Sensitivity—a biological difference in how deeply your brain processes information. This is not a diagnosis; it is a tool for self-discovery, helping you move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered.
Many people live their entire lives thinking something is wrong with them because they get overwhelmed faster than their peers. This test provides the vocabulary you need to explain your experience.
This assessment focuses on the core concept of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS). Unlike introversion or neuroticism, SPS is about how permeable you are to your environment.
You might be asking yourself:
This test explores these questions by looking at your sensitivity across physical, emotional, and aesthetic dimensions.
This test draws on the pioneering research of Dr. Elaine Aron, who first defined the "Highly Sensitive Person," and recent empirical studies by researchers like Lionetti (2018) which categorized sensitivity into three distinct environmental sensitivity groups (the flower metaphors).
We analyze your responses across three key factors:
The test consists of 24 items and typically takes 8 minutes to complete.
Tip: Answer based on your typical self over the past few years, not just how you feel today. If a situation doesn't fit exactly (e.g., you don't like art but you love music), answer based on the feeling of being deeply moved.
We use a 7-point Likert scale to capture the nuance of your experience. Your total score is calculated to place you on a sensitivity continuum, which we then map to one of three "Flower Phenotypes" (Orchid, Tulip, or Dandelion).
This test is especially helpful if you:
Please consider seeking professional help instead if:
We don't just give you a score. Based on the "Environmental Sensitivity" research model, we classify your result into one of three poetic but scientifically grounded categories:
Orchids are highly sensitive to their environment. Under poor conditions, they wither quickly; but under the right conditions, they bloom in spectacular, complex ways that other flowers cannot.
Tulips represent the middle ground. You are less sensitive than an Orchid but more sensitive than a Dandelion. You have a balance of resilience and empathy, serving as a bridge between the two worlds.
Dandelions are robust and resilient. They can grow anywhere—even in concrete. You are not easily rattled by stress or trauma and provide a stable rock for others.
Being an Orchid is not "worse" than being a Dandelion, nor is it "better." It is a different survival strategy. This result helps you stop fighting your nature and start nurturing it.
Your result page will offer specific advice, such as:
This Highly Sensitive Person Test is designed for educational and self-discovery purposes only. While it is based on psychological research regarding Sensory Processing Sensitivity, this online assessment is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a professional evaluation. High sensitivity is a personality trait, not a medical condition. However, if your sensitivity is accompanied by significant distress, anxiety, or depression, please consult a licensed mental health professional.
You are robust and resilient—like a Dandelion, you can thrive in almost any environment and remain steady when others are shaken.
You strike a dynamic balance between resilience and sensitivity—like a Tulip, you are flexible enough to weather storms but sensitive enough to appreciate the sun.
You possess a rare and profound depth of processing—like an Orchid, you require specific conditions to thrive, but when you do, you bloom spectacularly.