The psychological path from flow to loyalty among Cantonese opera audiences: a SEM analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay among flow, performance quality perception, satisfaction, cultural identity, and loyalty in the context of Cantonese opera. A questionnaire Survey was conducted among 332 Cantonese opera attendees in Guangdong, China, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results reveal that flow significantly influences performance quality perception, satisfaction, cultural identity, and loyalty, with the path from flow to performance quality perception being the strongest. Furthermore, performance quality perception emerged as the strongest predictor of loyalty. Moreover, the study identifies two critical mediating paths: flow influences loyalty through performance quality perception and satisfaction, and flow impacts loyalty via performance quality perception and cultural identity. These findings emphasize the dual centrality of emotional engagement and cultural identity in loyalty formation. To sustain Cantonese opera’s cultural vitality, this study offers dual recommendations. First, theatre managers should prioritize flow-enhancing design by integrating immersive storytelling and symbolic choreography. Second, cultural policymakers should establish funding frameworks that incentivize artistic innovations rooted in Lingnan cultural heritage.