ESP-4319

Published

2025-11-08

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 11 (2025): published

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Dong Li

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How to Cite

Dong Li. (2025). The interaction between environmental aesthetics and social psychological factors in watercolor painting and their expression in contemporary art. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(11), ESP-4319. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i11.4319

The interaction between environmental aesthetics and social psychological factors in watercolor painting and their expression in contemporary art

Dong Li

College of Fine Arts and Design, Jining Normal University, Ulanqab 012000, Inner Mongolia, China


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i11.4319


Keywords: watercolor painting; environmental aesthetics; social psychology; interaction; contemporary art; place attachment; cultural identity; ecological anxiety

Abstract

This study explores the interaction between environmental aesthetics and social psychological factors in watercolor painting and their manifestations in contemporary art. Through a mixed-methods approach comprising visual analysis of 451 contemporary watercolor artworks, in-depth interviews with 15 artists, questionnaire surveys of 312 viewers, and 6 focus group discussions, this research systematically examines the presentation modes of environmental aesthetic elements, the influence mechanisms of social psychological factors, and their interactive patterns.The findings reveal three key dimensions: First, environmental aesthetic elements are manifested through the poetic expression of natural landscapes, the construction of place spirit in urban spaces, and visual metaphorical strategies for ecological crises. Among these, waterscapes demonstrate the highest emotional intensity (M=8.9), historic buildings exhibit the strongest place identity (M=9.2), and symbolic imagery achieves optimal metaphorical effects (M=9.2). Second, social psychological factors profoundly influence artistic creation through collective anxiety (ecological anxiety accounts for 25.5% of works), cultural identity recognition (traditional cultural revival themes are most prevalent, N=45), and social relationship networks (network density shows negative correlation with influence intensity, r=-0.58). Third, psychological distress triggered by environmental degradation demonstrates high correlation with aesthetic destruction perception (r=0.88), while place attachment and community belonging form differentiated dual expression patterns.The study unveils the multifaceted values of contemporary watercolor art in environmental education, psychological healing, cultural heritage preservation, and social critique. It constructs a theoretical framework for the interaction between environmental aesthetics and social psychology, providing an interdisciplinary perspective for understanding the sociocultural functions of contemporary art. These findings offer significant implications for artistic creative practice, environmental communication, and cultural policy formulation.

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