“儿童思维模式”还是“奇思妙想”？可爱虚拟导游图片对游客遗产保护意愿的影响

《Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management》：Kindchenschema or whimsical? The effect of cute images of virtual tour guides on tourists’ heritage responsibility intentions

　　摘要
数字遗产的解释 increasingly relies on virtual tour guides, but it remains unclear whether and how their appealing visual designs affect tourists' intentions to take responsibility for cultural heritage. Drawing on the Source Attractiveness Model and Construal Level Theory, this study conducted three experiments to examine how different types of cute visuals (kindchenschema vs. whimsical) and the framing of verbal messages (concrete vs. abstract) influence tourists' mental imagery and their willingness to be responsible for heritage. The results show that virtual tour guides with a kindchenschema visuals elicit stronger responsibility intentions than those with whimsical visuals, and mental imagery partially mediates this effect. Kindchenschema visuals are more effective in a concrete message framing, whereas whimsical visuals perform better in an abstract message framing. This research enhances our understanding of how visual cues of cuteness can influence responsible behavior towards heritage and offers insights into the role of verbal information in digital heritage interpretation. Practical recommendations are provided for designing virtual characters that engage tourists emotionally and promoting responsibility education in digital heritage contexts.

引言
Digital guide personas are becoming increasingly integrated into heritage tourism, ranging from AR-enhanced museum mascots to AI-generated avatars that guide virtual site tours (Genc et al., 2023; Magasic, 2022). For example, in China, the digital character “Xiao Ke” was introduced at the Shanghai Museum during an exhibition on ancient Egyptian culture (China News, 2024); in the Czech Republic, digital guides and avatars were used at the T?ebechovice Museum of Nativity Scenes to provide interactive experiences (Edih-Northeast, 2026). Cute virtual guides have gained particular attention, with popular mascots and museum-related characters often serving as key communication tools (Ye et al., 2023). Their friendly appearance and playful expressions help create emotional connections between tourists and historical narratives (Zhao & Park, 2025). Such designs enhance engagement in digital environments (W. Zhang, Xue, & Tang, 2025). A well-known example is “Hang Xiaoyi,” an AI-powered virtual character from South China, used as a tourism ambassador in Hangzhou, offering various services (Ehangzhou.gov, 2025). Our focus is on the visual and aesthetic aspects of cuteness, although it can manifest in various forms (visual, auditory, and haptic). Virtual tour guides should have multiple functions beyond just narrating attractions and facilitating interactions; preserving and promoting cultural heritage in a smart way is crucial (Tang et al., 2026; Xiao & Bai, 2026). Although research shows that cute design can motivate responsible behavior, it is unclear whether such cues can effectively encourage tourists to protect heritage. Therefore, this study aims to figure out how to leverage cuteness to foster responsible tourism practices.

研究方法
To address this issue, we discussed the concept of cuteness in detail and recognized its diversity (Nenkov & Scott, 2014). Kindchenschema cuteness evokes warmth and care, while whimsical cuteness induces amusement and imagination (Zou et al., 2024). The attractiveness of such visuals, whether static or dynamic (video-based), can influence audience perceptions (Frank & Mitsumoto, 2023; Kim & Park, 2023). We examined how different types of cute visuals and message framings affect tourists' mental imagery and responsibility intentions. Three experiments were conducted to analyze these effects.

研究结果
Virtual tour guides with kindchenschema visuals produced stronger responsibility intentions than those with whimsical visuals, and mental imagery partially mediated this effect. Kindchenschema visuals were more effective in a concrete message framing, while whimsical visuals worked better in an abstract message framing. This study contributes to the understanding of how visual cues of cuteness influence responsible behavior towards heritage and provides practical guidance for designing digital interpretive tools that promote responsible tourism.

讨论
Our findings suggest that virtual tour guides with kindchenschema visuals are more effective in fostering tourists' heritage responsibility. Mental imagery partially mediates this effect, and the alignment of visual and verbal cues influences the interpretation of cuteness by tourists. Practical applications of these findings include designing digital guides that engage visitors emotionally and promoting responsibility education in digital heritage interpretation.

结论
This research explores how visual cues of cuteness affect tourists' mental imagery and their willingness to be responsible for heritage. It highlights the importance of incorporating both visual aesthetics and verbal information in digital heritage interpretation tools. Practical recommendations for designing responsible digital guide characters and promoting responsible tourism practices are provided.