The Relationship between Aesthetic Cognition and Aesthetic Behaviour in University Students: The Mediating Role of Aesthetic Emotion

Abstract

This paper discusses the relationships among aesthetic cognition, aesthetic emotion and college students’ aesthetic behaviour in light of three questionnaires including an aesthetic cognition scale, an aesthetic emotion scale, and an aesthetic behaviour scale. A survey including these three structured scales was administered to 1060 university students at general undergraduate institutions. Their responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Structural equation modelling was used to construct the measurement model and structural model. The survey results indicated positive correlations among these three variables. In addition, aesthetic emotion played a mediating role in the influence of aesthetic cognition on aesthetic behaviour. The results of this study can enhance the daily lives of college students by improving their levels of aesthetic and creative behaviour.