How cultural and creative tourism product design affects the psychological generation of cultural confidence：evidence from the Three Gorges Museum in China

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-5025754/v1

Cultural confidence is a critical social psychological phenomenon with respect to efforts to promote cultural development, social harmony, and personal spiritual growth. Advances in economic development and improved living standards lead to increased demand for cultural and creative tourism products that offer humanistic experiences and spiritual fulfillment. An important task is thus to explore how the cultural creative tourism products design (CCTPD), which serve as crucial media for cultural dissemination, influence the psychological generation of cultural confidence. The CCTPD items was classified into five dimensions based on the strategic experiential model (SEMs): SENSE, FEEL, ACT, THINK, and RELATE. This study investigated the Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion at the Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing, China, using 321 responses collected via a field survey. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to investigate the mechanism underlying the psychological generation of cultural confidence and the specific impacts of CCTPD on this mechanism. The results indicated that the psychological generation of cultural confidence is characterized by a sequential progression from cultural cognition to cultural identity and, ultimately, to cultural confidence. As a cultural carrier, CCTPD significantly influences each stage of this process and has the strongest impacts on cultural cognition. Furthermore, different dimensions of CCTPD affect the stages of the process by which cultural confidence is generated in different ways. Specifically, sense experience, act experience, and think experience significantly affect cultural cognition; think experience and relate experience significantly affect cultural identity; and sense experience, relate experience, and feel experience significantly influence cultural confidence. The findings of this research provide insight for both cultural psychology and design studies, and can serve as a reference for policy-makers to promote cultural confidence and designers in implement targeted practices.

Cultural confidence

Cultural and creative tourism product

Product design

Cultural cognition

Cultural identity

In the context of globalization, cultural confidence is an important way to maintain national cultural characteristics and promote cultural innovation. Cultural confidence refers to a collective cultural identity, a sense of belonging, and affection based on an individual's profound understanding, acceptance, and practice of their own culture. Such confidence serves as a powerful spiritual driver that can promote certain value orientations and positive behaviours [1]. From a social perspective, cultural confidence, as a phenomenon in social psychology, is critical with respect to efforts to promote cultural development and social harmony [2]. On an individual level, cultural confidence can influence the individual’s worldview, thereby playing a crucial role in helping individuals maintain their mental well-being [3].

However, as a psychological characteristic, cultural confidence has only recently emerged as a popular topic[4]. Some previous research on this topic has focused on broad theoretical investigations in various social, political, and educational fields [5,6] by considering the definition, dimensions and social significance of cultural confidence. Other studies have treated cultural confidence as a variable in quantitative studies focusing on the analysis of cultural confidence. When the abstract concept of cultural confidence is quantified [2,7], scholars in different fields take cultural confidence as an outcome variable or an intermediary variable, explore the causal relationship between cultural confidence and other variables using structural equation modelling (SEM), and consider the transformation from dimensions to mechanisms [8,9] Such research has rarely systematically deduced the psychological mechanisms underlying cultural confidence from the foundational logic of psychology or empirically verified these mechanisms, but it has provided with theoretical basis and methodological approaches.

An initial requirement to cultivate cultural confidence is the opportunity to learn about forms of traditional culture. The cultural and creative tourism products are combinations of products and services that are based on the cultural and tourism resources of travel destinations. They are developed through creative design methods to ensure that they have market value and can meet users' emotional needs. In a broad sense, cultural and creative tourism products are included in tourism consumption, which involves the distinct cultural characteristics of tourism destinations and meets tourists’ needs for a humanistic experience through handicrafts, daily necessities, digital products, and public cultural service products [10]. As a medium for cultural dissemination, visitors’ experience of these products can not only deepen their understanding of the culture but also create emotional resonance, which ultimately leads to cultural confidence. This cultural confidence is reflected in individuals’ pride and sense of belonging to their own culture and can be transformed into active cultural dissemination behaviors to further promote the transmission and development of culture.

Previous research on cultural and creative tourism products mainly focused on the consumer perspective [11] and design methods [12]. Specifically, this mainly focuses on the relationships among cultural connotations [13], emotional design [14], experience design [15], and the psychological dimensions of cultural confidence. Although previous studies have emphasized the importance of culture in CCTPD with respect to cultural confidence and highlighted the needs to both explore inner and metaphysical connotations of culture and emphasize innovation to promote cultural confidence more effectively [10,16], few studies have explored the specific relationships among these factors or the corresponding impact mechanisms between them. Such studies have focused mostly on the single psychological dimension of emotional identity or on certain specific elements of creative design.

Therefore, this study adopted an empirical research paradigm to investigate the psychological mechanisms that emerge after users experience cultural and creative tourism products. This study thus investigated the mechanisms underlying the psychological generation of cultural confidence and the impacts of different design dimensions and specific design elements of cultural and creative tourism products on various stages of the formation of cultural confidence. First, we combined theories of cultural psychology, summarize relevant concepts and different connotations of confidence in the literature, and identify the psychological mechanism by which cultural confidence is generated. Second, relevant theories and methods of design were used to identify existing design elements of cultural and creative products, and were classified to five dimensions (i.e., SENSE, FEEL, ACT, THINK, and RELATE) based on SEMs, forming a dimensional model of the design elements of the cultural and creative tourism product experience. This study further constructed a theoretical model of the psychological mechanism that generates cultural confidence and the dimension of the design experience of cultural and creative products and proposes a path hypothesis. Finally, we collected a large amount of questionnaire data through empirical research, adopt SEM to verify the hypothesis, and present limitations and suggestions for future research. Specifically, this study explored the following questions: (1) What is the mechanism of the psychological generation of cultural confidence? What is the relationship between the different stages of generation? (2) How does the CCTPD play a role in the psychological generation of cultural confidence? (3) Specifically, what is the relationship between different dimensions and elements of CCTPD and different stages of the psychological generation of cultural confidence?

Through this multidisciplinary theoretical approach, this study aims to provide empirical evidence supporting the interaction between design and psychology, serving as a valuable reference for other scholars exploring similar topics. Furthermore, by investigating how CCTPD influences the formation of cultural confidence, this study offers practical guidance for designers in creating culturally influential products, thereby increasing product value. Additionally, the study provides practical guidelines and design strategies for both designers and policy-makers. These guidelines aim to effectively promote cultural dissemination and enhance consumer cultural confidence. Accordingly, the study seeks to promote the sustainable development of the cultural industry and protect cultural diversity.

2.1 The psychological generation of cultural confidence

Confidence is a complex and hierarchically structured psychological construct. It reflects an individual's positive affirmation and recognition of themselves and is a stable personality trait that is characterized by objective and positive perceptions and evaluations of their abilities and value [17]. Confidence demonstrates a person's ability to navigate their environment, actions, and thoughts, thereby providing them with assurance regarding their ability to achieve both spiritual and material prosperity [18]. In the psychological context, culture is defined as a network of shared knowledge that is produced, disseminated, and reproduced among a group of interconnected individuals. The core function of culture is to offer a common reference framework that enables individuals to understand social realities, engage in social interactions, and adapt to external environments [19]. Therefore, cultural confidence refers to positive evaluations and expectations of individuals or groups with a focus on their confidence in their cultural identity. Such confidence involves successfully using different forms of cultural knowledge and practices to address various social situations and involves recognition of the value of one's own culture [20]. The cultivation of confidence in one's root culture also leads to a positive feedback loop of trust in that culture; more specifically, it leads to the generation of cultural confidence [7].

Structurally, cultural confidence is homologous to other self-related concepts that include similar psychological components. The study of cultural confidence requires a thorough understanding of the concept of confidence. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the fundamental connotations and basic attitude of cultural confidence by identifying similar concepts and different connotations of confidence. We examine the generation of confidence by referring to different fields to understand the background of cultural confidence.

3.1.1 The relationships among concepts similar to confidence and cultural confidence

Before exploring cultural confidence, it is necessary to identify several key concepts related to confidence and their interrelationships. These concepts are similar to confidence but focus on different aspects, which can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional connotations of cultural confidence and clarify its essence.

(1) Self-esteem and confidence: Self-esteem generally refers to an individual's overall evaluation of their worth and abilities. It pertains to an individual's intrinsic values and self-acceptance and reflects the degree to which such individuals like or dislike themselves [21]. Unlike confidence, self-esteem is not related to past performances or experiences. Confidence, on the other hand, is more closely related to the individual's trust in their specific abilities or the outcomes of their future actions. Self-esteem is a broader form of self-assessment, whereas confidence is more specific. Accordingly, cultural confidence is established on the basis of the cultural subject's understanding and reflection on their own culture, a process which involves cognitive elements as well as critical reflection rather than merely reflecting the individual’s attitudes towards the value and vitality of their own culture.

(2) Self-efficacy and confidence: Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her ability to complete specific tasks [22]. It focuses more on the individual's belief in their capabilities in particular areas or activities, such as swimming or weightlifting, which can be observed and perceived [23]. Confidence is a broader concept that encompasses not only the evaluation of abilities but also the individual’s degree of confidence in the outcomes generated by those abilities as well as the strength of the belief. Accordingly, cultural confidence includes not only the cultural subject's affirmation of the value and vitality of their own culture but also their belief in the transmission and continuity of culture. This notion should not be limited to an individual's belief in their ability to engage in cultural activities.

(3) Trust and confidence: Trust usually refers to reliance and dependence on others or particular systems. It involves making judgement regarding the similarity between oneself and those others or systems in terms of intentions or values as well as in terms of the individual’s expectations of beneficial outcomes on the basis of perceived similarities among individuals [24]. However, confidence is more closely related to individuals’ beliefs in their abilities and the outcomes of their future actions; it thus indicates a higher level of reliance. Therefore, cultural confidence refers to the cultural subject's evaluation of and belief in the value and vitality of their culture, which extend beyond a mere perception of consensus.

In summary, the connotations of confidence in the context of cultural confidence differ from those of other related concepts in three main ways: confidence involves a reflective process, thus distinguishing it from self-esteem; it includes affirmative attitudes and beliefs in the overall value and vitality of one’s culture, thus differentiating it from self-efficacy; and it encompasses higher levels of reliance and pride, thus differentiating it from trust.

3.1.2 The relationships among different types of confidence and cultural confidence

These definitions, which range from a focus on cognitive judgement to an emphasis on emotional states, provide different perspectives on the essence of confidence. This helps us to clarify the orientation cultural assertiveness and the factors that may stimulate its production.

(1) Confidence as judgement: Confidence is regarded as pertaining to personal judgement regarding future events or outcomes, thus emphasizing its association with decision-making processes.

(2) Confidence as conviction/certainty: Confidence is viewed as related to the individual’s conviction or degree of certainty in the beliefs or attitudes they adopt and thus as involving the individual’s subjective awareness of their own state.

(3) Confidence as assessment: Confidence refers to the process of evaluating past and present evidence on the basis of existing clues and meta-cognitive beliefs with the goal of predicting future outcomes.

(4) Confidence as belief: Confidence is viewed as a belief that is based on experience or evidence (such as past experiences), including the belief that specific future events will occur in the expected manner.

(5) Confidence as a feeling, perspective, and expression: According to this definition, confidence involves a feeling of self-assurance and a lack of anxiety as well as a favourable perspective on subjective probabilities or an open expression of possibilities [25].

In summary, the definition of cultural confidence is closely in line with the concept of "confidence as belief." Cultural confidence involves deep-seated beliefs regarding and identification with a culture on the basis of an understanding and evaluation of that culture’s history, values, achievements and characteristics. Correspondingly, the belief in cultural confidence is grounded in cultural experiences and historical evidence that shape the unique value and significance of a specific culture. Moreover, cultural confidence extends beyond the level of individual confidence to reflect the collective confidence of an entire societal group in its cultural traditions and future, thus referring to positive evaluations and expectations of the group’s own cultural identity and continuity.

3.1.3 Derivation of the psychological mechanism underlying cultural confidence

The concept of confidence in the context of cultural confidence is distinct from yet closely related to concepts in other fields that share similar psychological components as well as conceptual and structural aspects. Differentiating these related concepts can help clarify the direction of relevant research and improve our understanding of the definition and content of cultural confidence. In light of the common field of social psychology, the psychological structures and dimensions of these concepts can help researchers select methods for exploring the mechanism underlying the psychological generation of cultural confidence.

In the domain of sports, Vealey [26] argued that sports confidence differs from general confidence. Sports confidence is the result of the interactions between specific sports and athletes' personality traits. Organizational culture and athletes' characteristics influence the sources of athletes' confidence, which in turn affect their levels of sports confidence and performance outcomes. Furthermore, the performance outcomes that are influenced by sports confidence provide feedback that affects the sources of athletes' confidence, thus creating a closed circle of sports confidence extending from generation to effect and reproduction. In the field of rehabilitation, Dennis et al. [27] highlighted the relevance of the process of developing breastfeeding confidence on the basis of self-efficacy. According to social learning theory, postpartum women enter corresponding psychological states that correspond to efficacy information obtained through psychological reflection; in turn, these states influence their breastfeeding behaviour.

The generation of confidence in different fields explored in the literature thus reveals a common characteristic: confidence is generated through a cognitive process that is followed by reflective processing. The receipt of external information constitutes the cognitive process, and the development of a positive attitude towards a specific task or situation through reflection constitutes the emotional process. This emotional process is further influenced by both internal and external factors and results in confidence in one’s ability to perform a specific task. Internal factors mainly refer to the different characteristics of individuals within a specific domain, which can result in different outcomes at various stages of confidence formation. On the other hand, external factors refer to uncontrollable external variables such as the cultural context or the influences of other parties, which can impact the individual's cognitive and reflective processes.

Therefore, we conclude that the core components of the mechanism underlying the generation of confidence can be characterized as a process leading from cognition to emotion and ultimately to confidence; this process is influenced by both external factors and internal reflection. Different fields might be affected by other variables or specific factors. With regard to the definition and content of cultural confidence, the mechanism underlying the generation of cultural confidence can be viewed as leading from cultural cognition to cultural identity and ultimately to cultural confidence. This process is influenced by individuals’ internal characteristics as well as external cultural factors, in which context this study considers the CCTPD to be an external cultural stimulus.

3.2 Indicators of CCTPD based on the SEMs

Due to the converging influences of cultural and tourism integration, digital empowerment, and the experience economy, the demand for cultural and creative tourism products is shifting from a focus on "functional use" to an emphasis on the "cognitive experience of information" [12]. Consumers are no longer purchasing mere commodities but rather a cultural experience or a form of spiritual satisfaction that provides them with a better product [28]. Therefore, it is necessary to shift away from the standardization of tourism products to propose a new model for current cultural and creative tourism products, namely, a model that includes both tangible content and intangible services, thereby expanding the scope from physical products to service experiences that are not only unique but also multidimensional [29].

Experience marketing was first proposed by Schmitt, he divided experiences into sense, feel, think, act and relate, thereby developing the notion of strategic experience modules (SEMs), which focuses on the consumer [30]. Sense experiences occur through vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Feel experiences stimulate customers' inner feelings and emotions, thus allowing them to engage in the scenario at hand naturally and integrate themselves into it. Think experiences attract consumers' intellects with the goal of surprising them, interesting them, and eliciting concentrated or dispersed thinking regarding a problem in creative ways. Act experiences aim to influence physical and bodily experiences, lifestyles, and interactions, whereas relate experiences include various aspects pertaining to sensing, feeling, thinking, and acting and extend beyond personal feelings to include experiences that are related to oneself, others, institutions or culture.

The function of design elements is to carry and transmit culture. These elements thus serve as important evaluation criteria for whether cultural and creative products meet users’ experience expectations [31]. In recent years, scholars have proposed various design elements and evaluation criteria for cultural and creative tourism products from various perspectives.

In terms of the impact of users’ cognitive arousal and consumption preferences, Song et al. [12] proposed design principles rooted in the thematic, participatory, and diverse nature of experiential cultural tourism product design models based on cognitive psychology. Tu et al. [32] summarized 15 attributes of creative cultural products and used the cultural elements of the Forbidden City as an example in an exploration of consumers’ cultural cognition and preferences. Chai et al. [33] adopted cultural hierarchy theory and reported that consumers prefer cultural products that have “inner” and “behavioural” metaphysical connotations more than outer “tangible” elements, such as typical local and emotionally resonant cultural elements. Similarly, Yang et al. [34] referenced cultural level theory and reported that design students are more likely to perceive culture at the material level.

In terms of emotional identification, in light of the multidimensional nature of emotions, Yu et al. [14] identified the key factors that influence emotional identification with cultural and creative products, including meaningfulness, pleasure, practicality, reliability, usability, and convenience. Feng et al. [13] suggested that localization, uniqueness, and different designs in terms of shape, colour, and volume, especially with respect to beauty and elegance, are important factors in expressing geographical cultural identity. Yen [15] emphasized the importance of cultural emotion and interaction in the context of a sustainable festive event. Experience is directly linked to users' cultural psychology, and cultural and creative design elements are the carriers of user experiences and can stimulate different psychological stages of cultural understanding through experiential forms. In addition, Chen et al. [16] revealed that a focus on emotional experiences characterized by uniqueness, resonance, aesthetics, and fun could ensure alignment with users’ cultural cognition and identification motives.

Therefore, various design indicator elements associated with the cultural and creative tourism products explored in this study are proposed on the basis of a mapping of the relationship between the design elements of cultural and creative tourism products and experiential design, an approach which can help reveal the potential needs of tourism consumers and apply them to the experiential design of cultural and creative tourism products. This paper lists and analyses the design elements associated with cultural and creative tourism products that have been proposed by different scholars and classifies them into sense experience, act experience, think experience, relate experience, and feel experience in line with the SEMs proposed by Schmitt (see Table 1), thereby developing preliminary evaluation indicators for CCTPD from an experiential perspective (see Table 2).

Table 1

Classification of design elements on the basis of the SEMs.
Source	Dimensions of the SEMs
Source	SENSE	ACT	RELATE	THINK	FEEL
Song [12]	uniqueness, diversification, novelty	participation	service	theme	—
Yang [34]	colour, dermatoglyphic pattern, material, form, structure, craft, historical features, geographical features	operation, function	—	legend and allusion, custom, religion, philosophical thinking	spiritual values
Feng [13]	uniqueness, originality, beauty, elegance	—	—	localization, culture/civilization	friendliness,
Yu [14]	—	practicality, reliability, usability, convenience	—	—	meaningful, pleasurable
Tu [32]	cultural traits, local characteristics, aesthetic, unique creativity		cultural sustainability	cultural symbol, traditional culture, historical memory, cultural inheritance,	cultural identity, sensual interest, fashion trend, cultural connotation
Chen [16]	uniqueness, beauty	interactivity, practicality, durability, usability	sociability, cost-effectiveness, shareability	cultural memory, collection-related value, representation, cultural popularization, educational value	emotional healing, emotional resonance, fun, fashion trend
Chai [33]	colours, profiles, texture, craftsmanship, method of presenting, typical	better designed perception, using patterns, functionality	—	story-like, cultural meaning, appeal	familiarity, emotional resonance
Yen [15]	aesthetic, place identity	safety	centrality, self-expression, love and belonging	educational, attraction, place, dependence, physiological	entertainment, escapism, esteem, self-actualization

Table 2

Preliminary evaluation indicators for CCTPD.
Measurement elements	Sub-items
Sense experience design	S1 Aesthetics: The colours and shapes meet my aesthetic needs.
	S2 Creativity: Exhibits a unique sense of creativity that makes me feel novel.
	S3 Cultural traits: Reflects cultural/regional characteristics effectively.
	S4 Authenticity: Restores and reflects the inherent attributes of the culture effectively.
	S5 Craft: Effectively uses craft, materials, and textures.
Act experience design	A1 Usability: The usage process is simple and convenient, and it meets my ergonomic requirements.
	A2 Functionality: Provides me with a good operational experience.
	A3 Interactivity: Provides me with a good interactive experience.
	A4 Participation: Provides me with many opportunities to participate and immerse myself in the culture.
Think experience design	T1 Memorability: Reminds me of the cultural experience.
	T2 Appeal: Attracts me and makes me interested in learning about the culture.
	T3 Educational value: Helps me understand and disseminate the culture more effectively.
	T4 Thought-provoking: The cultural connotations it conveys help me think creatively and possess a certain degree of spiritual value.
Relate experience design	R1 Shareable: Makes me willing to share it on social media or display it to others to highlight my taste.
	R2: Social Perception: Makes me feel that I belong to the cultural circle.
	R3 Sociability: Helps me socialize and find like-minded friends.
	R4 Cost-effectiveness: Provides me with a satisfying consumption experience.
Feel experience design	F1 Fun: Makes me feel that it is fun and interesting.
	F2 Fashion trend: Conforms to modern trends and fashion.
	F3 Escapism: Provides me with an immersive experience that makes me temporarily forget my original life.
	F4 Emotional resonance: Elicits emotional resonance.
	F5 Emotional healing: Provides me with some degree of emotional healing.

3.3 Hypothesis development

3.3.1 Psychological generation of cultural confidence

Cultural cognition refers to a process involving psychological activities by which individuals form opinions, attitudes, and understandings with respect to a particular culture after processing cultural information [5], thus highlighting those individuals’ levels of understanding of that culture. Human psychological development progresses from lower to higher levels. Cultural cognition is an initial step in the formation of cultural identity and cultural confidence. Only by actively understanding a cultural object and developing a certain level of cultural self-awareness can the individual obtain the foundational awareness that is necessary for the generation of positive attitudes regarding and confidence in that cultural object.

Wan et al. [35] suggested that the acquisition of cultural knowledge provides individuals with the cultural content they need to construct a cultural identity. Li et al. [36] reported that users perceive various sub-dimensions of a destination culture, such as institutional culture, spiritual culture, and material culture, and then spontaneously generate a cultural identity. Cultural confidence refers to a process that involves simultaneous "knowing and doing." Ghaderi et al. [37] suggested that cultural confidence is based on a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of a given culture. Similarly, Zhou et al. [9] reported that understanding the history of the Chinese nation in terms of its founding and the corresponding struggles made tourists proud to be Chinese, which helped enhance their confidence in Chinese culture. Hence, we propose the following hypotheses:

H1

Cultural cognition significantly affects cultural identity.

H2

Cultural cognition significantly affects cultural confidence.

Identity refers to people's recognition of certain things, roles or cultures [8]. Cultural identity, which is equivalent to social identity in a cultural context, is part of an individual's self-definition [38] and highlights the psychological connection between an individual and a culture [35]. From an individual perspective, cultural identity is developed by understanding and engaging with cultural values, thereby reflecting a positive stance toward and affirmation of those values [39]. Individuals who are attracted by a cultural phenomenon or piece of cultural content are very willing to share their feelings and insights with others [5]. When a person identifies strongly with a culture, they are inevitably loyal to it and integrate the core of the culture into their psychological and spiritual being; this process represents the essence of cultural confidence [8]. Furthermore, extensive research has suggested that cultural identity is a prerequisite for cultural confidence [8,40], and as the consumers’ sense of cultural identity increases, their cultural confidence is also enhanced [9,41,42]. Therefore, we propose the following hypothesis:

H3

Cultural identity significantly affects cultural confidence.

3.3.2 The relationship between CCTPD and the psychological generation of cultural confidence

In the context of tourism activities, the content of a given cultural entity can be perceived by tourists comprehensively by buying cultural products or visiting a digital cultural experience museum. By engaging in cultural consumption, users can experience another culture and produce culture memories that can construct and reshape the local cultural identity [43]. Experiential cultural tourism products, which are based on cultural tourism resources and feature experiential connotations, are a special type of tourism product that is designed to offer cultural experiences to tourists; thus, "cultural experience" lies at the core of this product. The notion of "cultural experience" emphasizes the fact that through touching, experiencing, and understanding a culture, individuals can perceive the profound emotions contained within the culture and constructively generate a unique meaning with respect to this culture. Therefore, the main object of CCTPD is an "experience" rather than a "product." Culture influences perception, which in turn affects cognition at both the social and individual levels. Perception and cognition depend on sensory inputs at the individual level and involve various top-down processes [44]. Cultural and creative tourism products are tangible carriers that can enable individuals to perceive and experience culture, thereby stimulating the psychological process associated with cultural confidence. According to the theory of hierarchical needs, the level of consumer experience is closely related to the level of individuals’ needs [45]; thus, the process by which users obtain in-depth experience with products can lead to the emergence of different psychological stages.

Lin et al. [46] revealed the relationship between the experience of cultural products, promoting cultural cognition and emotional identification among the experiencers in their study on the experiential value perceived by participants in the intangible heritage of Cantonese embroidery. Koenigi-Lewis et al. [47] reported that travellers can gain knowledge and enhance their cultural identity by experiencing local festivals. Similarly, based on David A. Kolb's "cultural experiential learning circle," Yan et al. [48] explored the paths associated with the generation of cultural identity. Based on an exploration of the relationship between cultural experience and cultural confidence, Chen [49] reported that the experiential experiences faced by college students in the context of creative design enriched their understanding of culture and enhanced their cultural confidence. Gao et al. [10] clarified the important roles played by cultural and creative tourism product experiential design in cultural cognition, cultural confidence, cultural dissemination, and cultural development based on a case analysis of the Fuchun Mountains E-post. Hence, we propose the following hypotheses:

H4

The CCTPD positively affects cultural cognition.

H5

The CCTPD positively affects cultural identity.

H6

The CCTPD positively affects cultural confidence.

On the basis of the research findings discussed above and the comprehensive reasoning underlying this study, The psychological generation of cultural confidence may involve a process of moving from cultural cognition to cultural identity, or it may be directly stimulated by cultural cognition. The CCTPD composed of sense, act, think, relate and feel experience may directly affect the different stages of the psychological generation of cultural confidence. Therefore, the following model is constructed (see Fig. 1).

4.1 Study site

The Chongqing Three Gorges Museum, which was one of the first national first-class museums to be established in China, serves as a cultural icon of Chongqing, and the museum attracts more than 3 million visitors annually. The Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion at the Three Gorges Museum is located within the museum itself and benefits from the museum’s rich cultural resources and atmosphere. Consequently, visitors often treat this pavilion as the museum's final "exhibition hall," where they can engage in experiential activities and make purchases. The pavilion offers a wide variety of cultural and creative products, and it incorporates digital and interactive technologies into its digital interactive products with the goal of providing visitors with culturally rich and engaging experiences, which can be divided into a total of 377 types and 461 styles. The pavilion features an annual sales revenue of approximately 8 million yuan, and visitors' consumption behaviour reflects their recognition of and confidence in the cultural value embedded in these products. This setting is particularly suitable for this research as it provides an immersive environment where visitors can engage with cultural artefact and narratives through innovative and interactive exhibits. Analysing visitors’ interactions and feedback within this specific context offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of CCTPD in enhancing cultural cognition and identity.

4.2 Measurement items

To measure the variables illustrated in Fig. 1, a review and analysis of the relevant literature were conducted, and an initial survey questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire was then refined and optimized based on expert evaluations and preliminary research to suit the context of this study.

First, we conducted a comprehensive review of the literature on cultural cognition, cultural identity and cultural confidence. The items used to measure cultural cognition were adapted to the context of the Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion at the Three Gorges Museum and were based on the studies conducted by Yang et al. [34] and Song et al. [12] The items used to measure cultural identity were adapted primarily from the research conducted by Cleveland et al. [50] The items used to measure cultural confidence were adapted mainly from the studies conducted by Pan et al. [7] and Zhou et al [2]. The measurement of CCTPD was based on the previously constructed preliminary evaluation indicators. In the second step, we encoded and analysed the measurement items drawn from the studies mentioned above, in which context we classified and named eight main measurement elements and 31 sub-elements via the KJ method. Five experts who were familiar with the current field under investigation reviewed the questionnaire, screened the measurement elements with high consistency, and revised the descriptions of some indicators. When no further modifications were suggested, the complete initial survey questionnaire for this study was finalized.

To ensure the reliability and validity of the formal questionnaire while simultaneously reducing the total number of measurement items to ensure that the questionnaire was as concise as possible, we conducted a pilot test of the initial questionnaire by distributing 100 copies of the questionnaire at the Three Gorges Museum, i.e., in an offline format; we ultimately collected 91 valid responses as part of this pilot test. We deleted four items that exhibited factor loadings less than 0.6 according to the pretest results. The remaining items were verified and included in the final survey (Table 4, see appendix), and the preliminary test results did not reveal any concerns regarding these items. The main content of the questionnaire was divided into two parts: formal measurement items and demographic information. All of the items were scored on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). The demographic information included sex, age, level of education, monthly income and occupation. The formal measurement items focused on the mechanism underlying the psychological generation of cultural confidence and the experience design of cultural and creative tourism products, including the three stages of cultural cognition, cultural identity and cultural confidence as well as the five dimensions of sense experience, act experience, think experience, relate experience and feel experience.

Table 3 Demographic profile of the sample.

Variables	Frequency (%)	Variables	Frequency (%)
Sex		Monthly income
Male	117 (37.3%)	<= ¥2500	118 (37.6%)
Female	197 (62.7%)	¥2501–5000	54 (17.2%)
Age		¥5001–7500	46 (14.6%)
18-24	136 (43.3%)	¥7501–10000	52 (16.6%)
25-34	88 (28.0%)	< =¥10000	44 (14.0%)
35-44	53 (16.9%)	Occupation
45-54	26 (8.3%)	Labourer	19 (6.1%)
>=55	11 (3.5%)	Farmer	6 (1.9%)
Level of education		Businessperson	10 (3.1%)
High school and lower	11 (3.5%)	Staff member working for an enterprise or public institution	113 (36.0%)
High school education	20 (6.4%)	Student	128 (40.8%)
Bachelor’s degree	219 (69.7%)	Other	38 (12.1%)
Master’s degree	64 (20.4%)

4.3 Data collection and sample

The survey was conducted from April 15, 2024, to April 24, 2024, at the Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion at the Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. Visitors were interviewed at the conclusion of their tours. The survey was administered by 8 research assistants who had received one training session in the data collection process. The interviews lasted 10 minutes on average and were audio-recorded after obtaining consent from the visitors. The participants were allowed to withdraw from this research at any time, and those who successfully completed the entire questionnaire received a small gift. A total of 325 questionnaires were distributed, and 314 valid questionnaires were collected. To ensure an adequate sample size for achieving reliable modelling, we conducted a post-hoc power analysis. The results indicated that the statistical power for each endogenous variable was high (greater than 0.80) [51]. Therefore, the sample size used in this study (n = 314) possesses sufficient statistical power to support the SEM results.

4.4 Data analysis strategy

We employed structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the succession of dependent relationships and to validate the relationships among the multiple independent and dependent constructs included in this research. To assess the conceptual model, we employed a two-step assessment procedure. In the first step, we assessed the measurement model by evaluating its reliability and validity in terms of reflective constructs. Composite reliability (CR) values, Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, factor loadings and average variance extracted (AVE) values were used to test the model’s reliability and validity. After the scales used to measure the latent variables were tested, the structural model was investigated to clarify the relationships among the latent variables and investigate the moderating effects (see the hypotheses proposed in this research).

To determine how CCTPD impacts the psychological generation of cultural confidence, we first aimed to analyse data collected from a sample of visitors at a cultural site to detect relevant patterns and clues in their questionnaire responses. Specifically, we focused on how different design elements influence visitors' cultural cognition, cultural identity, and cultural confidence. By examining these relationships, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the psychological mechanisms through which CCTPD can foster cultural confidence.

5.1 Profile of the respondents

The demographic profile of the sample is presented in Table 3. Fewer male respondents (37.3%) than female respondents (62.7%) completed the survey. Nearly half of the respondents (51.4%) were between the ages of 18 and 24 years, and the next most common age groups included respondents between the ages of 25–34 years (28.0%) and 35–44 (10.4%) years, respectively. Most of the respondents had a bachelor’s degree (69.7%), and the second most common level of education was a master’s degree (20.4%). With respect to respondents’ monthly income, the group of respondents earning less than ¥2500 was the largest (37.6%), followed by the other groups, such as those earning ¥2501–5000 (17.2%), ¥7501–10000 (16.6%) and ¥5001–7500 (14.6%), which accounted for similar portions of the sample. In terms of respondents’ occupations, most of the respondents were students (40.8%) or staff members working for enterprises or public institutions (36.0%); the remaining respondents could be divided approximately equally into three types: labourers (6.1%), businesspersons (3.1%) and farmers (1.9%).

5.2 Model assessment

To systematically investigate the effects of CCTPD on the psychological generation of cultural confidence, we developed two different models. The first model explored the mediation effect and focused on the overall relationship between CCTPD and cultural confidence. The second model studied the specific influence of each stage of cultural confidence through direct effects. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the final model including nine variables was constructed to explore the relationship between CCTPD and the mechanism underlying the generation of cultural confidence, and both direct and mediating effects were examined. The five experiential dimensions of CCTPD were treated as first-order variables, and an overarching latent variable representing the overall cultural and creative product design was constructed as a second-order variable. As illustrated in Fig. 3, an eight-variable model was developed to explore the different direct effects of the five dimensions of CCTPD on various stages of the generation of cultural confidence generation, which included cultural cognition, cultural identity, and cultural confidence. These two models are referred to as Model 1 and Model 2, respectively.

5.2.1 Assessment of the measurement model

Because the data we collected were provided only once by the respondents, all variables were estimated from the participants’ perspective, and the data were collected from the same participants (i.e., visitors to the Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion at the Three Gorges Museum). Common method bias (CMV) may thus have been an issue in this research. Although the study was conducted at multiple time points (i.e., it was a two-stage survey) and employed an anonymous approach to measurement and item cross-arrangement methods to mitigate CMV, it was necessary to perform further statistical tests regarding CMV. Thus, we compared models on the basis of the initial prespecified model via the latent error variable control method. In the hypothesized model (an eight-factor model), CMV was included as a latent variable. The test revealed that the model without CMV exhibited no significant differences from the model with CMV (x2/df = 1.38, GFI = 0.919, AGFI = 0.887, RMSEA = 0.035, CFI = 0.977, TLI = 0.97) and that ΔCFI = 0.008 < 0.05, thus indicating that CMV did not significantly affect the relationships included in the model [52].

To assess the reliability of the models, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to investigate all the constructs included in the models. As shown in Tables 5 and 6, the Cronbach's α coefficients for each construct in both models exceeded 0.70, thus indicating acceptable reliability. The factor loadings of each indicator on the corresponding latent variables were calculated. With the exception of three indicators that exhibited factor loadings ranging between 0.6 and 0.7, all other items exhibited factor loadings that were above the acceptable threshold (i.e., greater than 0.7) [53]. The composite reliability (CR) values exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.7, the average variance extracted (AVE) values for each construct exceeded the 0.5 threshold [54], and the square roots of the AVE values were greater than the correlations among the constructs [55]. These results indicated that the models exhibited a high level of discriminant validity as well as acceptable levels of internal consistency reliability and convergent validity. Given that the CR and AVE estimates were above the thresholds, the removal of indicators that exhibited factor loadings of less than 0.7 from the models was unnecessary. These results confirmed the acceptable reliability of the measurement models used in this research.

Table 5

The discriminant validity of the constructs included in Model 1.
	AVE	CCTPD	CG	CI	CC
CCTPD	0.652	0.807
CG	0.547	0.714	0.739
CI	0.611	0.663	0.608	0.781
CC	0.562	0.742	0.534	0.736	0.749

Table 6

The discriminant validity of the constructs included in Model 2.
	AVE	FE	RE	TE	AE	SE	CG	CI	CC
FE	0.597	0.773
RE	0.574	0.692	0.758
TE	0.647	0.647	0.606	0.804
AE	0.587	0.654	0.556	0.721	0.766
SE	0.618	0.675	0.530	0.661	0.747	0.786
CG	0.547	0.507	0.428	0.610	0.664	0.627	0.740
CI	0.611	0.488	0.524	0.600	0.562	0.510	0.608	0.781
CC	0.562	0.642	0.630	0.594	0.550	0.609	0.535	0.736	0.749

5.2.2 Assessment of the structural model

This study used the discriminant validity method recommended by Hair et al. [56], as shown in Table 7, the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) and degrees of freedom ratios pertaining to the two models were 1.471 and 1.557, respectively. Model 1 exhibited an RMSEA of 0.039, and Model 2 exhibited an RMSEA of 0.042; both of these values were below the 0.05 threshold and thus met the fit index standards. With the exception the adjusted goodness-of-fit index (AGFI) of Model 1 and the AGFI and goodness-of-fit index (GFI) of Model 2, which were slightly below 0.9 (but nevertheless within acceptable ranges), all the indices met the relevant standards. The results revealed that the overall indicators of the model were at the acceptable level.

Table 7

Results regarding the model fit measures.
	x2/df	GFI	AGFI	RMSEA	CFI	TLI
Model 1	1.471	0.906	0.880	0.039	0.969	0.963
Model 2	1.557	0.894	0.872	0.042	0.961	0.956

5.3 Hypothesis tests

5.3.1 Direct effects tests

Hypothesis 1

H1 posited that cultural cognition has a significant effect on cultural identity. As hypothesized, a significant positive direct relationship was observed between cultural cognition and cultural identity (direct effect = 0.257, t-value = 2.934, p < 0.01), thus supporting H1.

Hypothesis 2

H2 posited that cultural identity has a significant effect on cultural confidence. As hypothesized, a significant positive direct relationship was observed between cultural identity and cultural confidence (direct effect = 0.464, t-value = 5.995, p < 0.01), thus supporting H2.

Hypothesis 3

In contrast to our expectations, the results did not support the existence of a positive significant relationship between cultural cognition and cultural confidence (direct effect = -0.119, t-value = -1.357, p > 0.05). Therefore, H3 was rejected.

Hypothesis 4

The results indicated that CCTPD has a significant effect on cultural cognition (direct effect = 0.714, t value = 9.04, p < 0.05). Specifically, sense experience (direct effect = 0.242, t value = 2.161, p < 0.05), act experience (direct effect = 0.339, t value = 2.697, p < 0.05), and think experience (direct effect = 0.221, t value = 2.118, p < 0.05) were observed to have significant direct relationships with cultural cognition. However, the effects of relate experience (direct effect = − 0.016, t value = -0.167, p > 0.05) and feel experience (direct effect = − 0.008, t value = -0.09, p > 0.05) on cultural cognition were shown to be nonsignificant.

Hypothesis 5

The results revealed that CCTPD has a significant effect on cultural identity (direct effect = 0.416, t-value = 4.936, p < 0.05). Specifically, think experience (direct effect = 0.226, t-value = 2.270, p < 0.05) and relate experience (direct effect = 0.224, t-value = 2.462, p < 0.05) were observed to have significant direct relationships with cultural identity. Regrettably, the effects of sense experience (direct effect = − 0.007, t-value = -0.067, p > 0.05), act experience (direct effect = 0.068, t-value = 0.579, p > 0.05), and feel experience (direct effect = − 0.029, t-value = -0.287, p > 0.05) on cultural identity were shown to be nonsignificant.

Hypothesis 6

The results indicated that CCTPD has a significant effect on cultural confidence (direct effect = 0.519, t-value = 5.412, p < 0.05). Specifically, sense experience (direct effect = 0.209, t-value = 2.189, p < 0.05), relate experience (direct effect = 0.177, t-value = 2.167, p < 0.05), and feel experience (direct effect = 0.217, t value = 2.373, p < 0.05) were shown to have significant direct relationships with cultural confidence. However, the effects of act experience (direct effect = − 0.127, t value = -1.198, p > 0.05) and think experience (direct effect = 0.000, t value = 0.000, p > 0.05) on cultural confidence were nonsignificant.

Table 8

Results of the hypothesis tests.
Hypothesis	Relationships	Std.	Estimate	S.E.	T-value	p	Test result
H1	CG→CI	0.275	0.292	0.1	2.934	0.003	Yes
H2	CI→CC	0.464	0.469	0.078	5.995	***	Yes
H3	CG→CC	-0.119	-0.127	0.094	-1.357	0.175	No
H4	CCTPD→CG	0.714	0.685	0.076	9.04	***	Yes
H5	CCTPD→CI	0.467	0.477	0.097	4.936	***	Yes
H6	CCTPD→CC	0.519	0.536	0.099	5.412	***	Yes
H4a	SE→CG	0.242	0.204	0.095	2.161	0.031	Yes
H4b	AE→CG	0.339	0.272	0.101	2.697	0.007	Yes
H4c	TE→CG	0.221	0.204	0.097	2.118	0.034	Yes
H4d	RE→CG	-0.016	-0.014	0.084	-0.167	0.867	No
H4e	FE→CG	-0.01	-0.008	0.09	-0.09	0.928	No
H5a	SE→CI	-0.007	-0.006	0.094	-0.067	0.946	No
H5b	AE→ CI	0.068	0.058	0.099	0.579	0.563	No
H5c	TE→CI	0.226	0.219	0.096	2.27	0.023	Yes
H5d	RE→CI	0.224	0.209	0.085	2.462	0.014	Yes
H5e	FE→CI	-0.029	-0.025	0.088	-0.287	0.774	No
H6a	SE→CC	0.209	0.187	0.086	2.189	0.029	Yes
H6b	AE→CC	-0.127	-0.108	0.09	-1.198	0.231	No
H6c	TE→CC	0.000	0.000	0.088	-0.001	0.999	No
H6d	RE→CC	0.177	0.168	0.078	2.167	0.03	Yes
H6e	FE→CC	0.217	0.191	0.08	2.373	0.018	Yes
Note: p < 0.1, p < 0.05, **p < 0.01.

5.3.2 Mediating effect tests

The effect of cultural cognition on cultural confidence was not significant, and cultural identity occupied an intermediate position between the two paths linking cultural cognition to cultural confidence and CCTPD to cultural confidence. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the mediating effect of cultural identity to improve our understanding of the relationships among cultural cognition, CCTPD and cultural confidence.

The bootstrap (bootstrap resamples = 5000) method was used to verify the mediating effects of cultural cognition and cultural identity in this context. The exploration of the chain mediating effect of cultural cognition and cultural identity on the relationship between the CCTPD and cultural confidence revealed that the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the direct effect (0.318–0.781) of cultural identity did not contain 0, and the indirect effects of cultural cognition and cultural identity (95% CI: 0.028–0.189) were shown to be significant. Specifically, the examination of the mediating role of cultural identity in the relationship between cultural cognition and cultural confidence revealed that the CI of the indirect effect (0.040–0.278) of cultural identity did not contain 0, whereas the CI of the direct effect (-0.342-0.068) did contain 0, thus indicating the presence of full mediation.

Table 9

Results of the tests of the mediating effects
Effect path		Point estimate	Product of coefficients		Percentile 95%CI		Bias-corrected percentile 95%CI		Meditation
			S.E.	Z-value	Lower	Upper	Lower	Upper	Yes
CG→CC	Total effects	0.01	0.11	0.091	-0.216	0.221	-0.216	0.221
CG→CC	Direct effects	-0.127	0.104	-1.221	-0.342	0.068	-0.341	0.069
CG→CI→CC	Indirect effects	0.137	0.062	2.210	0.04	0.278	0.045	0.294
CCTPD→CC	Total effects	0.766	0.087	8.805	0.607	0.951	0.611	0.957	Yes
CCTPD→CC	Direct effects	0.536	0.117	4.581	0.318	0.781	0.326	0.788
CCTPD→CG→CI→CC	Indirect effects of CG	-0.087	0.073	-1.192	-0.243	0.046	-0.245	0.046
	Indirect effects of CI	0.223	0.077	2.896	0.1	0.396	0.101	0.401
	Indirect effects of CG&CI	0.094	0.042	2.238	0.028	0.189	0.034	0.201

6.1 Conclusion and discussion

This study took the Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion at the Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing, China as an example to explore the relationship between tourism cultural and creative products and specific design dimensions, cultural cognition, cultural identity and cultural confidence. Using SEM, we revealed the importance of CCTPD in the process of stimulating cultural confidence and demonstrated that cultural identity plays a key mediating role in this process. Therefore, the questions raised above have been answered.

(1) What is the mechanism underlying the psychological generation of cultural confidence?

The mechanism underlying the psychological formation of cultural confidence has long been a focal point of academic research, which has primarily adopted a theoretical perspective. This study innovatively employed the notion of SEM to conduct an empirical investigation of this topic. In the previous question, we clarified the important role of CCTPD in each stage of cultural cognition, cultural identity and cultural confidence and further explored the psychological generation of cultural confidence. Consistent with the theoretical conclusions reported by Guan et al. [6] and Wang et al. [5], our results indicated a complete mediating effect, thus suggesting that the mechanism underlying the psychological formation of cultural confidence indeed follows a sequential process leading from cultural cognition to cultural identity and ultimately to cultural confidence. Cultural confidence cannot be directly generated based on cultural cognition; rather, it must pass through the psychological stage of cultural identity. If cultural confidence is generated directly, i.e., without the involvement of cultural identity, it may be blind or false confidence. Bandura's emphasis on cognitive subjectivity indicates that cultural cognition is the process by which individuals internalize the cultures that they encounter through a process that is characterized by planning, intentionality, reflectiveness and purposiveness. When this process is in line with individuals' pursuit of self-worth, it results in positive and proactive psychological attitudes towards the specific culture in question. The stronger the corresponding sense of identity is, the more cultural confidence is enhanced.

In contrast to the results reported by Zhou et al. [9], the hypothesis that cultural cognition positively affects cultural confidence was not validated in our study. The discrepancy might be due to the fact that Zhou et al.'s study focused on Chinese red culture with patriotic education as its main theme, which naturally evokes strong national pride and responsibility among tourists who already exhibit a certain degree of cultural identity and can thereby foster cultural confidence more easily [9]. In contrast, the tourists on whom our study focused were exposed to historical culture through cultural and creative products or interactions with others, which is a more indirect and fragmented approach. Consequently, it is more difficult for these tourists to develop a sense of confidence when their cognition remains superficial [8], thus enhancing the robustness of our findings. The evidence reported above reveals that the generation of cultural confidence is indeed based on correct and positive cognition regarding a specific culture. Cognition promotes the formation of cultural identity, which in turn fosters cultural confidence.

Therefore, Question 1 is answered: The mechanism underlying the psychological formation of cultural confidence follows a sequential development process leading from cultural cognition to cultural identity and ultimately to cultural confidence.

(2) How does CCTPD play a role in the psychological generation of cultural confidence?

Our results revealed that CCTPD significantly affects cultural cognition, cultural identity and cultural confidence, thereby providing empirical evidence to support further explorations of the specific relationships between different design dimensions and psychological stages. Interestingly, the path coefficient pertaining to the impact of CCTPD on cultural cognition was the largest (β = 0.714, p < 0.001), i.e., significantly greater than the corresponding impacts on cultural confidence (β = 0.519, p < 0.001) and cultural identity (β = 0.467, p < 0.001). This finding may be due to the fact that the cultural information conveyed by cultural and creative tourism products is more likely to pertain to material or behavioural culture [34]. Our field research, which was conducted at the Three Gorges Museum Cultural and Creative Experience Pavilion, also revealed that the design techniques used in cultural and creative tourism products are based mostly on the extraction and transformation of various cultural elements, which can help visitors improve their understanding and develop cultural cognition. Therefore, material and behavioural culture are easier to perceive and accept than is spiritual culture. Moreover, cultural cognition can be stimulated more easily to serve as the foundational stage in the psychological formation of cultural confidence. In conclusion, the design methods of material and behavioural culture are more likely to arouse tourists' cultural cognition in cultural and creative products, which is the key stage to stimulate cultural confidence.

However, cultural awareness alone is not enough to directly improve cultural confidence. Consistent with the conclusions of Question 1, our results concerning the chain mediation effect revealed that the mediating effect of the path leading from CCTPD to cultural cognition and ultimately to cultural confidence was not verified. Accordingly, the process by which cultural and creative tourism products stimulate the psychological process of cultural confidence must be based on a progression leading from cultural cognition to identity and then to confidence, thereby emphasizing the crucial role played by cultural identity in this process.

Therefore, Question 2 is answered: the CCTPD affects the psychological formation of cultural confidence, thereby significantly influencing cultural cognition, cultural identity, and cultural confidence (in which context the greatest impact is on cultural cognition). Specifically, the mechanism by which the CCTPD stimulates the psychological formation of cultural confidence is as follows: CCTPD leads to cultural cognition, which in turn leads to cultural identity and ultimately to cultural confidence.

(3) What are the specific relationships among the different dimensions and elements of CCTPD and different stages of the psychological generation of cultural confidence?

According to the model results illustrated in Fig. 2, similar to the process by which cultural confidence is generated, the stimulation of cultural confidence at different psychological stages by various experiential dimensions of CCTPD also exhibited a tendency to transition from superficial to deep. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, tourists' intrinsic needs, which range from lower to higher levels, guide their purposeful external behaviours. Therefore, different dimensions of CCTPD stimulate the emergence of different psychological stages of cultural confidence. Interestingly, our study revealed that the same experiential design dimension can play various roles at different levels, including in terms of designs pertaining to sense experience, think experience and feel experience.

1) Different influences of sense experience on cultural cognition and cultural confidence

Sense experience design directly converts cultural resources into design information that is conveyed intuitively to tourists. This process may enhance tourists' understanding and cognition of the culture in question [17]. Additionally, the results of the interviews revealed that many tourists expressed a high degree of psychological confidence in cultural creations related to porcelain at the research site. Unlike most cultural and creative tourism products, these porcelain cultural creations are exquisitely crafted, and the exhibition layout establishes a strong cultural atmosphere that may promote visitors’ confidence in traditional Chinese culture and aesthetic appreciation, thereby meeting their expectations in line with the findings reported by Gao et al. [10].

Therefore, the direct transformation of cultural resources through such design is more likely to promote tourists' cultural cognition, whereas the sense experience resulting from a strong cultural atmosphere is more likely to elicit psychological feelings of cultural confidence among tourists.

2) Different influences of think experience on cultural cognition and cultural identity

Cultural and creative tourism products can significantly enhance cultural cognition by integrating different types of knowledge or cultural information into their external appearances or functions, thereby enhancing their cultural attributes and ultimately pursuing purposes related to education and popularization. In contrast, cultural identification, which ranges beyond the level of cultural cognition, requires people to link and reflect on deeper cultural connotations based on their cognition, thus eliciting positive emotional responses [5].

Therefore, when designing cultural and creative tourism products, thinking that involves educational characteristics is more likely to promote tourists' cultural cognition, while stimulating tourists' associations and memories is more likely to promote cultural identification.

3) Different influences of relate experience on cultural identity and cultural confidence

Social influence theory suggests that individuals undergo changes in terms of their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours due to the influence of others or reference groups[57]. Dong et al. [58] argued that the formation and development of individuals’ identification with Chinese culture depend largely on those individuals’ living environments or broader social contextual factors. Therefore, the process of "sharing" involves social experiences that can elicit a sense of belonging in tourists, thus enabling individuals to establish connections with others and define their self-concepts and thereby generating a sense of identification [59].

With respect to the relationship between relate experience design and cultural confidence, previous studies have indicated that individuals typically view others' evaluations as effective assessments of their own abilities[26], which also affect their level of confidence; this perspective has also been validated in other fields. Therefore, we believe that when tourists receive positive evaluations from others after sharing cultural experiences, their cultural cultivation and aesthetic taste are affirmed, which serves as a motivational force that can enhance tourists' psychological development of cultural confidence.

In conclusion, the social attributes of the relate experience design of cultural and creative tourism products are more likely to encourage tourists to experience a sense of belonging and thus to promote cultural identification. Moreover, this approach is more likely to foster a psychological sense of cultural confidence when tourists' cultural cultivation and aesthetic taste are acknowledged.

6.2 Implications

6.2.1 Theoretical implications

This study enriched the theoretical research on cultural psychology and design and provided a reference for the psychological production of cultural confidence. First, to the best of our knowledge, previous studies have not explored the psychological generation of cultural confidence empirically, and studies on this topic have often focused on particular dimensions of such confidence, thereby overlooking the mechanistic and procedural aspects of this psychological trait. Therefore, this study represents a pioneering attempt to enhance the universality of this concept by exploring the psychological connotations of cultural confidence and the process by which it is generated based on extensive references to related studies in the field of psychology, thereby offering a more specific, foundational and systematic theoretical supplement at the level of individual psychology.

The results of our empirical research further supported the robustness of our conclusion that cultural identity plays a significant role in the psychological generation of cultural confidence based on two tests of relevant mediating effects, which further illustrated that accurate recognition and positive cognition of culture are necessary conditions for the psychological generation of cultural confidence. With respect to both academic research and policy formulation, these results provide insights into the ways in which individuals can be guided to develop cultural confidence in an appropriate manner. Therefore, in terms of theoretical research, it is necessary to further explore the influence of cultural cognition and cultural identity on cultural confidence in different contexts and to understand the role of different cultural content in this process of psychological generation. In policy-making, attention should be paid to the promotion of cultural knowledge and education. If an individual does not understand a particular culture, he or she is unlikely to actively develop positive emotions, and it is more difficult to generate cultural identity and confidence. Therefore, it is necessary to set up cultural theme parks and to hold cultural exhibitions and festivals to enhance the public's understanding of local culture and emotions.

Second, although previous researchers have investigated CCTPD extensively and in depth, its importance in the field of cultural psychology should also receive more attention from scholars because the psychological generation of user cultural confidence requires specific material carriers. We opened the "black box" that characterizes the ways in which cultural confidence is influenced by CCTPD. Our study confirmed that CCTPD can indeed stimulate the psychological generation of cultural confidence. We explored the relationships between the design dimensions of cultural and creative tourism products and different stages of psychological generation on the basis of the consumer experience perspective. The results of this research can serve as a theoretical foundation on which other scholars can conduct cultural psychology research from a design perspective. Therefore, in the future, we should consider and include the psychological stage of users' cultural confidence in the design method, transform external cultural resources to internal cultural resources to accomplish experience-oriented design, consider the connotations of spiritual culture, and stimulate emotional resonance to ensure that users have a full understanding of culture.

6.2.2 Design implications

This study identified specific relationships between different stages of the generation of cultural confidence and various dimensions of CCTPD, which can further optimize the CCTPD to stimulate cultural identity and cultural confidence, as illustrated in Fig. 4. In the context of design transformation, choosing cultural carriers with different connotations may lead to different outcomes. Specifically, in their attempts to enhance cultural cognition, designers should prioritize the transformation of cultural resources in terms of appearance, functionality, and interactivity of CCTPD with the goals of conveying cultural information accurately and promoting users’ understanding of culture. The emphasis of efforts to enhance cultural identity should be on the task of exploring cultural connotations that can stimulate various associations and reflections among users. Additionally, the incorporation of social platforms, such as workshops and experience pavilions to establish a positive interactive atmosphere can satisfy users' need for a social identity, thereby promoting positive cognition on the basis of users' accurate understanding of culture. Cultural confidence is a relatively abstract and spiritual concept, cultural and creative tourism products must feature deeper and more resonant cultural connotations that are more conducive to cultural confidence; thus, efforts to enhance cultural confidence should focus on emotional design. For example, efforts to design platforms that can allow users to share their unique cultural experiences and the use of multisensory interactive designs, such as lighting and interactive devices to establish a rich cultural atmosphere can immerse users in such cultural connotations more effectively and enhance their perceptions of spiritual culture.

These design pathways not only provide targeted optimization strategies that can be employed by designers but also emphasize the importance of considering the process by which cultural confidence is generated at various stages in the design process, thus enhancing the effectiveness and purposefulness of relevant efforts.

This study has several limitations that highlight directions for future research. Due to the openness of the research location and limitations in terms of resources, we employed a convenience sampling approach. The psychological process by which cultural confidence is generated represents a broad topic that requires efforts on the part of additional scholars as well as exploration of additional variables. Therefore, future researchers should test the applicability and universality of these findings by reference to sufficiently random samples, consider the incorporation of other influencing factors and examine the external validity of this process in different cultural contexts with the goal of clarifying the mechanism underlying the generation of cultural confidence in further detail. Future research could explore the impact of cross-cultural communication on cultural confidence and how to maintain and enhance local cultural confidence in the process of globalization.

Furthermore, to construct more in-depth and detailed design methodologies, future researchers could investigate the characteristics exhibited by different demographic groups at various stages of the process by which cultural confidence is generated, which could enhance our understanding of the relationships among tourism, creative product design and users’ preferences. This may help to formulate different cultural policies for groups of different ages and regions to effectively enhance the overall level of cultural confidence. This not only provides a new direction for academic research but also brings new opportunities for cultural and creative industries.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of Chongqing University. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Consent for publication

All participants provided consent for publication of their survey responses.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funding

This research was funded by the Chongqing Social Science Planning Project (No. 2023NDYB193).

Author contributions

XJJ was responsible for the project’s conceptualization and methodology; LYS completed the data analysis and the writing of the manuscript; HYH were responsible for the investigation and reviewed the writing of the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Acknowledgements

We thank AJE (www.aje.cn) for its linguistic assistance during the preparation of this manuscript.

Authors' information

XJJ: Professor, specializing in industrial design history and application. LYS: master's student, specializing in design theory and cultural studies. HYH: master's student, specializing in design theory and cultural studies.

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No competing interests reported.

Appendix.docx

How cultural and creative tourism product design affects the psychological generation of cultural confidence：evidence from the Three Gorges Museum in China

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Abstract

Figures

Introduction

Literature review and hypotheses