How Cultural Congruence and Music Shape Aesthetic Experience and Emotional Well-Being among Chinese Viewers in an Art Exhibition

Abstract

Aesthetic experience is driven by both bottom-up perceptual features and top-down knowledge, yet how these processes interact to shape aesthetic and emotional well-being outcomes remains unclear. This study examined how culture (top-down factor) and sensory modality (bottom-up input) jointly influence aesthetic experience and emotional well-being in an art exhibition. A total of 181 Chinese participants viewed 12 floral-themed paintings presented with or without culturally matched music in a 2 (Chinese vs. Western arts) × 2 (visual-only vs. audiovisual) between-subjects design. Results showed audiovisual presentations enhanced positive mood more for culturally congruent pairings; exploratory mediation analysis suggested this effect was partially driven by music familiarity. Western paintings elicited stronger aesthetic responses across modalities, while culturally congruent music facilitated efficient emotional processing. Individual differences affected aesthetic experience but did not moderate cultural effects. Findings reveal distinct pathways where culture and multisensory integration shape art engagement, with implications for designing cross-cultural exhibitions.