Unpacking the effect of Digital Platforms on the Dissemination of Intangible Cultural Heritage: An Extended Technology Acceptance Model with Emotional Resonance and Cultural Identity

The digital era poses new challenges but also offers opportunities to the dissemination and preservation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Leveraging emotional resonance (ER) and cultural identity (CI), this study applies the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to explore the interaction between digital platform features and users’ cultural-psychological mechanisms, and see how it influences the digital dissemination of ICH. The study investigates the mediating roles of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) in the relationship between platform functionality and user behavior, as well as the moderating effects of ER and CI. A data sample of 456 users was collected via questionnaire surveys and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate: (1) Platform functionality (PF), content recommendation accuracy (CRA), and PEOU all positively predict PU, with PF having the strongest influence, followed by CRA and PEOU. (2) Cultural appeal (CA) and information quality (IQ) both positively predict PEOU, with CA exerting a greater influence than IQ. (3) PU positively predicts behavioral intention (BI), and BI in turn positively predicts actual usage (AU). (4) ER positively moderates the relationship between PU and BI, while CI positively moderates the relationship between BI and AU. Therefore, to enhance the effectiveness of ICH digital dissemination, platform designers and cultural preservationists should prioritize functional features, user perceptions, as well as emotional and cultural factors.