Youth green aesthetic perception and psychological influence on the adoption of sustainable packaging for biomimetic cultural products in social media environments

Introduction: Driven by global carbon reduction agendas and circular economy initiatives, green packaging has evolved beyond regulatory compliance toward value creation and identity expression. In social media environments, young consumers assess and disseminate products through intertwined considerations of sustainability, aesthetics, and social interaction. Within this context, biomimetic cultural and creative products offer a unique lens to explore how youth green aesthetics influence the adoption of green packaging. Drawing on innovation diffusion theory, persuasive design theory, and biophilia theory, this study develops an integrated analytical framework to examine the underlying psychological and behavioral mechanisms. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was employed, combining qualitative expert interviews with quantitative survey analysis. Data were collected from 662 young respondents across mainland China and Taiwan. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed relationships, including mediation effects of perceived innovation attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, observability), persuasive design factors (motivation, ability, triggers), and biophilic responses (natural imagery evocation and biomimetic experience). Results: The findings indicate that youth green aesthetics have a significant positive effect on the willingness to adopt green packaging. This relationship is mediated by perceived innovation attributes, persuasive design mechanisms, and biophilic responses. Among these mediators, biomimetic experience and perceived ability demonstrate the strongest effects, while observability does not exhibit a significant mediating role. The results highlight the joint influence of aesthetic perception, behavioral facilitation, and nature-related emotional engagement in shaping adoption intentions. Discussion: Rather than establishing causal claims, this study provides empirical evidence of the mechanisms through which youth green aesthetics influence green packaging adoption within social media contexts. The integration of diffusion, persuasion, and biophilia perspectives offers a novel theoretical contribution to sustainable design research. Practically, the findings inform green packaging design strategies and sustainability communication in the cultural and creative industry. Future research is encouraged to adopt longitudinal and cross-cultural approaches to further validate and extend these findings.