Effects of art consumption on consumer well‐being

Abstract

AbstractThis research shows that consumers' experience of art, including artistic commercial products, enhances consumers' well‐being by inducing a sense of inspiration. Prior research in neuroscience and psychology has documented that participating in art and culture programs enhances individuals' well‐being, but there is a shortage of empirical evidence documenting the effect of consumers' art appreciation as products and services on well‐being or the cognitive mechanism underlying that effect. Our five studies, based on an administrative dataset (Study 1) and laboratory experiments (Studies 2a–2d), show that consumers' experience of art in daily life increases consumers' well‐being. Furthermore, consumers' experience of art induces inspiration, which in turn enhances subjective well‐being (Studies 2b and 2c), and consumer well‐being (Study 2d). Critically, that effect remained significant across various forms of art, including paintings, song lyrics, and sculpture, and extended to commercial products such as computer screen saver and handbags depicting artistic images.