From social learning mechanisms to cultural participation: the mediating role of learning culture in Miao embroidery communities.

Research into the sustainability of traditional crafts has focused on preservation, digitalization, design innovation, and creative economy; however, there has been relatively little emphasis on the micro-level dynamics through which community learning leads to sustainable Participation in culture. This study examines the relationships between social learning processes, learning culture, cultural Participation, and cultural outcomes in Miao embroidery communities in Guizhou, China. Social learning is defined by three mechanisms: community interaction, observational learning, and Participation in practice. In a quantitative cross-sectional research design, data were gathered from 280 purposively sampled Miao embroiderers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that community interaction, observational learning, and Participation in practice are positively related to learning culture, which in turn is positively related to cultural Participation. Cultural Participation is the strongest predictor of attachment to cultural identity, including embroidery practice and Participation in cultural events. Further, mediation analyses show that learning culture mediates the relationship between social learning processes and cultural Participation, while cultural Participation mediates the relationship between learning culture and cultural outcomes. The implication is that the sustainability of Miao embroidery depends not only on learning itself but also on the process of institutionalizing learning through a culture of community learning and Participation in culture.