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.