To provide a photosensitive resin composition having favorable properties of sensitivity, a resolution, adhesiveness, a resist feature and stripping characteristics after being cured, and to provide a photosensitive element, a method for forming a resist pattern and a method for manufacturing a printed wiring board using the composition.

The photosensitive resin composition contains (A) a binder polymer, (B) a photopolymerizable compound including a compound expressed by a formula (1), and (C) a photopolymerization initiator. In the formula, R1 and R2 represents hydrogen atoms or methyl groups, respectively; at least one of R3 and R4 and at least one in R5 to R12 are alkyl groups, cycloalkyl groups or phenyl groups; and -(AO)- and -(OB)- represent (poly)oxyethylene chains or copolymer chains of ethylene oxides and propylene oxides, in which the total number of oxyethylene groups ranges from 2 to 40 and the total number of oxypropylene groups ranges from 0 to 40.