Abstract
This study explored whether individuals with different types of environmental sensitivity—a core personality trait—use distinct coping strategies, and how these patterns vary across individualistic (UK) and collectivistic (China) cultures. Participants included 259 UK and 369 Chinese undergraduates, categorized into five sensitivity types. We examined their use of problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping strategies. Sensitivity types showed distinct coping profiles: highly sensitive individuals used all strategies more frequently; vigilant types favored avoidant coping, and vantage types leaned toward problem-focused coping. Notably, the link between sensitivity type and emotion-focused coping differed across cultures. These findings highlight the role of both individual traits and cultural context in shaping coping behaviors and underscore the importance of considering both in future research on stress and adaptation.