The consciousness–behavior–attitude model of influencing factors can explain the influencing factors and action modes of the digital communication of handicraft ICH. However, from a specific point of view, the five factors—digital communication awareness, initiative of cultural communication, adaptability of digital technology, audience acceptance and cognition, and uncontrollable factors—are not consistent in the influence modes and action paths for digital handicraft ICH communication.
5.1. Antecedent Factors
Digital communication awareness is not only the prerequisite for digital handicraft ICH communication but also the internal cause in the whole communication process. Combining previous research and the consciousness–behavior–attitude model, we can grasp the key driving roles of digital environment cognition and cultural adaptability cognition in digital handicraft ICH communication. Results related to digital environment cognition mainly propose the normative principles of handicraft ICH digitization in terms of information resources—namely, forming a “digital community” for handicraft ICH information dissemination and building a content activation strategy system: for example, establishing a digital archive and digital museum covering high-definition 4K live broadcast, VR roaming, and 5G technology; use of AR digital displays and AI interactive experience technology to build a handicraft ICH virtual experience center; and the development of digital cultural and creative products of traditional handicraft through IP incubation and game design (Yang, 2015; Xue & Long, 2020). Results related to cultural adaptability cognition focus on exploring the contemporary value of traditional handicraft culture and building an open and innovative digital handicraft ICH creative cultural industry. For example, with the help of data analysis to accurately match each participant, traditional handicraft culture and technology are transformed into digital intelligent products or digital services, and the audience can experience and interact through digital platforms or virtual scenes such as games, animation, film, and television (Zuo, 2020; Xiao & Jing, 2021).
However, overall, there are relatively few studies involving communicator consciousness. Based on in-depth interviews and textual analysis, this study found that the factor of communicator consciousness greatly affects the consciousness structure of digital handicraft ICH communication, and that the consciousness structure will affect the consistency of consciousness–behavior in the digital communication of handicraft ICH. Although the consistency of consciousness–behavior is directly proportional to the intensity of digital communication awareness, there is not a simple linear relationship between them. Only when the disseminators of handicraft ICH are truly aware of the importance of digital communication can they ensure the smooth development of the communication process. From a practical level—that is, when the communication subject contains more rationality and initiative—the predictive effect of digital communication awareness will increase significantly. This finding can also explain why many handicraft ICH projects still lead to cultural conflict due to improper operation while trying to carry out digital communication. This is reflected in interviewee responses such as “These craftsmen and communicators are still thinking about these issues in a traditional way, so why can’t they change the way of communication?” (interviewee F03) and “I feel that technicians do technical work while cultural scholars only talk about theories, and audiences feel bored after watching the video without any sense of empathy” (interviewee F07).
5.2. Situational Factors
Among situational conditions, the adaptability of digital technology is the core of the whole communication process; this also includes the internal situational condition, determined by platform responsibilities, technical rationality, and crisis awareness. The initiative of cultural communication forms the core competitiveness and the external situational condition, which is determined by the perspective, subject, content, means, and effect of communication. It is directly affected by the subject of handicraft ICH communication, as well as audience perceptions and attitudes. Audience acceptance and cognition is the power of action and external situational conditions; it is determined by factors such as value cognition, benefit connection, and emotional reaction. It is also affected by audience psychology and behavior while it directly affects the choice of communication mode for handicraft ICH.
Situational variables moderate the direction and strength of consciousness–behavior by affecting the relationship between digital communication awareness and behavior. Previous results reveal that research on the initiative of cultural communication has mainly focused on intelligent creation and cultural sharing from the perspective of digital information management and dissemination. In light of this, we must consider the management subject, platform, and strategy for handicraft ICH digital information, as well as the multimedia and interactive development form for the digital product (Zhao & Zhou, 2017). Research on the adaptability of digital technology has mainly been from a computer science perspective, emphasizing the cultural innovation scene for establishing an intelligent digital ecology. Three trends have been revealed: the open sharing of digital resources for traditional handicrafts, the intelligent upgrading of methods and tools for the creative process of handicrafts, and the multimodal integration of handicraft cultural experience (Guo et al., 2021). Meanwhile, audience acceptance and cognition research have mainly been from a psychological perspective, emphasizing the driving factors and dynamic effects of audience acceptance of the digital form of handicraft ICH. It has used digital virtual characters, virtual scenes, and AR to conduct user evaluations to test the effect of users’ virtual experience of and learning about traditional handicrafts (Vosinakis et al., 2018). However, few studies have comprehensively considered the initiative of cultural communication, the adaptability of digital technology, and audience acceptance and cognition.
From this study, we can infer that when the influence of three situational variables is neutral or weak, the digital communication activities of handicraft ICH will primarily be affected by digital communication awareness, and the connection of consciousness–behavior is strongest at this time. When the influence of three situational variables is significant (i.e., extremely favorable or unfavorable), such as in cases of rather high initiative of cultural communication or unsatisfactory audience acceptance and cognition, it may greatly affect (i.e., promote or inhibit) the digital communication related to handicrafts ICH; at this time, the connection of consciousness–behavior is significantly weakened, and the influence of internal and external situational factors on digital communication activities increases greatly.
We also find that these situational factors are still affected by the intensity of digital communication awareness of handicraft ICH. When such awareness is weak—for example, when the digital environment cognition and cultural adaptive cognition are relatively shallow or communicators’ own thinking is unclear and hesitant—the moderating effect of these internal and external situational factors is relatively strong. On the contrary, when the communicators of handicraft ICH have strong digital communication awareness, the moderating effect of these internal and external situational factors is relatively weak. This can be seen in some of the interviewees’ responses: “After watching videos and animations of handicraft intangible cultural heritage, I just liked and forwarded it, but rarely commented” (interviewee F06); “The digital transformation of traditional culture requires a process. When the sense of the presence of traditional handicrafts and the virtual sense of digital experience conflict, we need to fully understand and tolerate” (interviewee F02).
5.3. Regulatory Factor
Uncontrollable factors moderate the direction and intensity of behavior–attitude by affecting the relationship between digital communication behavior in handicraft ICH and the generation of audience attitude. There are many previous studies involving regulatory factors. In terms of institutions, through an analysis of the Chinese cultural digitization and international communication project, Li (2013) proposed drawing lessons from the overall experience of exporting Chinese Naxi-Dongba culture—that is, to practice two channels of communication: normalized in real space and digital in virtual space. Socially, Xu and Sun (2017) found that, among the factors affecting public will and behavior in digital handicraft ICH communication, moderating variables such as gender, age, and education had positive correlations. In terms of opportunity, Chen and Ma (2021) considered digital content packaging and live new-media broadcast for craftsmen in the context of COVID-19. These studies have highlighted the need to examine the digital environment reasonably, make timely responses, and develop corresponding communication strategies.
It can be seen that when the influence of the moderating uncontrollable factors is significant, it strengthens or weakens the audience attitude of digital dissemination of handicraft ICH. The connection of behavior–attitude would then be weakened, and the influence of uncontrollable factors on digital communication ideas would increase greatly. The increase in uncontrollable factors would also prompt the disseminators of handicraft ICH to re-examine their attitude towards the digital environment at a psychological level. This is also reflected in the interviewee responses: “Just like Li Ziqi’s live broadcast of production videos of various crafts, sometimes there is a lot of controversy. Today’s digital content production methods and new media choices cannot please everyone. But in any case, the premise is to have a correct communication concept” (interviewee F01); “In junior high school, we went to the craft base to practice every week. Once there was any new digital experience project, we would be very happy and hoped to go again next time” (interviewee F08).