What motivates the preservation of endangered intangible cultural heritage? Aesthetic attraction versus cultural identity-a case study of Liaoxi Puppet Opera.

INTRODUCTION

Against the backdrop of digital transformation, the paradigm for protecting endangered Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is shifting from static preservation to living transmission. However, the psychological mechanisms converting the unique visual aesthetics of heritage into audience participation intention remain underexplored. This study focuses on the endangered Liaoxi Puppet Opera in Northern China to better understand audiences' preferences for ICH.

METHODS

We constructed an integrated model based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework. To ensure high ecological validity, the study utilized exclusive live performance recordings and primary source images from a national-level inheritor as experimental stimuli. Data from 440 respondents were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Bootstrapping.

RESULTS

The results identify a dual-path pattern of associations: (1) Initial Association: As an environmental stimulus, Puppet Perception is significantly associated with both the audience's Flow Experience (the hedonic path) and Cultural Identity (the eudaimonic path). (2) Sequential Mechanism: A significant serial mediation path (Puppet Perception → Flow Experience → Cultural Identity → Participation Intention) was identified. (3) Dominance of Identity: The predictive strength of Cultural Identity on participation intention (β ≈ 0.48) is significantly stronger than that of Flow Experience (β ≈ 0.24).

DISCUSSION: Sensory pleasure (Flow) acts as a crucial prerequisite hook that facilitates deep cultural resonance. While aesthetic pleasure initiates the experience, awakened meaning-seeking (Cultural Identity) anchors sustainable heritage conservation. These findings add critical nuance to the entertainment-first marketing paradigm, suggesting that the key psychological predictor for maintaining the vitality of endangered ICH lies in awakening deep cultural genes through the aesthetic experience.