ABSTRACT Environmental sensitivity refers to individual differences in responsiveness to external stimuli and may vary across environmental domains. This study adopted an individual‐centered perspective to examine children's sensitivity to natural and social environments and the roles of parenting practices and nature experiences. A sample of 311 Chinese children ( M = 11.24 years, 57.9% boys) completed measures of environmental sensitivity, nature experiences, and parenting. Latent profile analysis identified three profiles: moderate domain‐specific and moderate general sensitivity, low domain‐specific and moderate general sensitivity, and high natural‐domain and positive‐oriented sensitivity. Nature experiences significantly differentiated all three profiles, whereas parental environmental education, parental responsiveness, and parental rejection did not predict profile membership. Findings underscore the domain‐specific heterogeneity of environmental sensitivity and highlight the central role of direct nature experiences in shaping children's engagement with their ecological and social worlds.
Wu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.