How Short-Video Marketing Shapes Hanfu Travel Interactive Experiences: A Dual Sequential Mediation Model of Motivations, Constraints, and AttitudesYou

Imagine the internet as a giant, bustling digital mall where everyone is trying on different "outfits" for their personality. For some, it's gaming avatars; for others, it's fitness influencers. But there's a specific corner of this mall dedicated to Hanfu, the traditional clothing of the Han ethnic group in China. For a long time, this clothing was stuck in museums, like a rare artifact behind glass. But recently, a movement has swept through, especially among young people, dragging these beautiful robes out of the glass cases and into the real world, turning them into a living fashion statement.

To understand how this happens, we need to look at three simple ideas that scientists have studied for years. First, there's Stimulus-Response: think of it like a siren. A loud noise (the stimulus) makes a dog bark (the response). In marketing, a cool video is the siren, and buying a ticket is the bark. Second, there's the ABC Model of Attitude: this is just a fancy way of saying our feelings about something are built from three parts: what we think (Cognition), how we feel (Affect), and what we want to do (Behavior). Finally, there's the idea of Constraints. Imagine you want to go to a concert, but you think, "I don't have the money," or "I'm too shy to go alone." Those are constraints—mental or real walls that stop you from going.

This paper asks a big question: How do those short, addictive videos we scroll through on our phones (like on TikTok or Douyin) actually turn a "maybe" into a "yes" for Hanfu travel? It's not just about showing pretty pictures; it's about how those videos change our minds, lower our fears, and get us to actually show up and have a fun, interactive experience wearing the clothes.

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The Digital Siren and the Hanfu Journey

This study dives into the psychology of why young people are suddenly flocking to historical sites dressed in ancient Chinese robes, and how short videos are the magic key unlocking that door. The researchers, You-Yu Dai and Yuting Wang from Shandong Jiaotong University, collected data from 408 people who are already interested in Hanfu travel. They didn't just ask, "Did you like the video?" They built a complex map to see exactly how a video changes a person's brain before they even pack their bags.

Think of the process like a video game level. You start with the Stimulus: a short, snappy video showing someone looking amazing in Hanfu at a beautiful temple. This video hits the player (the tourist) with two different types of power-ups and one type of debuff.

Power-up 1: The Motivation Boost.
The video makes you think, "Wow, I want to feel that cool, historical vibe!" This is Hanfu Travel Motivation (HTM). The study found that short videos are like a super-charged engine for this. They don't just inform you; they make you want to go. The data showed a strong positive link: the better the video, the higher the desire to travel.

Power-up 2: The Fear-Buster.
This is the most interesting part. Usually, we think of barriers (like "I'm too shy," "It's too expensive," or "I don't know how to wear it") as solid walls. But this paper argues that short videos act like a wall-smasher. The researchers call these Hanfu Travel Constraints (HTC). The study found that short videos significantly lower these barriers. By showing real people having fun and looking good, the videos teach viewers how to negotiate their fears. It's like seeing a friend try a scary rollercoaster and come back smiling; suddenly, your fear of the ride drops. The data showed a strong negative link: the more you watch, the less you worry.

The Middleman: The Attitude Shift.
Both of these power-ups—the increased desire and the decreased fear—feed into a central tank called Hanfu Travel Attitudes (HTA). This is your overall "vibe" about the trip. If you are super motivated and not scared, your attitude becomes super positive. The study confirmed that your attitude is the critical bridge. You can't just have motivation or low fear; you need that positive attitude to actually have a good time.

The Final Boss: The Interactive Experience.
The goal isn't just to buy a ticket; it's to have a Hanfu Travel Interactive Experience (HTIE). This is the moment you put on the robes, walk through the ancient streets, take photos, and feel like you've stepped back in time. The study found that short videos don't just make you go; they make the experience better. But here's the twist: the videos don't make the experience better directly. They work entirely through the chain reaction of boosting motivation, crushing fears, and building a positive attitude. In fact, the study found that the direct link between the video and the experience was not statistically significant; the magic happens entirely through the middle steps.

The "Double-Chain" Discovery

The researchers used a sophisticated statistical method called Structural Equation Modeling to test their map. They found that the path from "Watching a Video" to "Having a Great Time" isn't a straight line. It's a dual sequential mediation.

Imagine a relay race with two teams running at the same time:

1. Team Motivation: Video → Makes you want to go → Makes you like the idea → You have a great time.
2. Team Constraints: Video → Makes you less scared → Makes you like the idea → You have a great time.

Both teams are running, but they aren't running at the exact same speed. The study found that while the "Motivation" path is actually the stronger force, the "Constraints" path is still a vital part of the race. It turns out that for Hanfu travel, telling people "It's cool!" (Motivation) is the primary driver, but telling them "It's safe and easy!" (Constraints) is still a necessary part of the process to get them across the finish line.

The paper suggests that short videos do not directly dictate the quality of the experience on their own; rather, their influence is entirely channeled through the psychological transformation of consumers' motivations, constraints, and subsequent attitudes. While the statistical model shows the direct link is not significant, this doesn't mean other factors couldn't exist; it simply means that within this specific model, the video's power flows entirely through the middle steps. The video is the spark, but the psychological changes are the fuel.

What This Means for the Real World

The study suggests that for places selling Hanfu travel, the strategy needs to change. You can't just post pretty pictures. You need to address the "fear factor." The researchers suggest that tourism boards and content creators should make videos that specifically show how easy it is to rent the clothes, where to find rest areas, and how normal it is to wear them in public. This "constraint-shattering" content is just as important as the "dream-inducing" content, even if the motivation boost is slightly stronger.

The paper also highlights that this isn't just about satisfaction; it's about performance. Wearing Hanfu is an act of identity. The interactive experience is a way for young people to "try on" a new version of themselves. The short videos provide the script and the costume, but the tourist has to step onto the stage.

How Sure Are We?

The authors are quite confident in their findings because they used a large sample of 408 people and rigorous statistical tests that passed all the standard checks for reliability. They measured things like "internal consistency" (did the questions make sense together?) and "discriminant validity" (did they measure different things correctly?), and everything looked solid.

However, the paper does admit a few limits. Because they asked people to fill out a survey at one single moment in time, they can't say for 100% certain that the video caused the change in a strict, time-travel sense (though the statistical model strongly suggests it). They also noted that their data came from people who were already interested in Hanfu, so the results might look different for someone who has never heard of it.

But the core message is clear: Short videos are powerful tools not just for showing off, but for changing how we feel about our own fears and desires. By lowering the mental barriers and turning up the excitement, these tiny clips are helping a generation of young people reconnect with their history, one interactive experience at a time.