Exploring New Media Art Exhibition Aesthetic Preferences Through the Unified Model of Aesthetics

Abstract

Based on the Unified Model of Aesthetics (UMA), this study investigates the impact of opposing factors on aesthetic preferences in new media art exhibitions across three dimensions: perceptual, cognitive, and social. Using the Linjing·Dou Peking Opera Media Art Interactive Space as a case study, 203 Chinese audiences were surveyed via a 7-point Likert scale. Results indicate that: 1) Perceptual unity, cognitive cultural typicality, and social interactive connectedness positively influence aesthetic preferences; 2) When measuring opposing factors through the UMA model, the cognitive dimension exerts the strongest impact on aesthetic judgment, followed by the social dimension, with the perceptual dimension showing the weakest effect. This research provides interdisciplinary theoretical support for new media art curation.