Perceived algorithmic recommendation environments and the weakening of aesthetic autonomy among design students

In visual environments shaped by algorithmic recommendation, design students’ aesthetic judgement may increasingly align with platform logic, and their visual expression may show convergent tendencies. This study proposes a structural model examining the relationships among perceived algorithmic recommendation environments, aesthetic mediatization, aesthetic homogenization, and the weakening of aesthetic autonomy. Using survey data and structural equation modeling, the study tests the relationships among three platform-environment variables and aesthetic outcomes at the levels of judgement and expression. The results suggest that perceived algorithmic recommendation environments are indirectly associated with the weakening of aesthetic autonomy, with aesthetic mediatization playing a central mediating role. The findings indicate that platform-driven visual environments may be associated with reduced aesthetic autonomy among design students, and offer implications for cultivating aesthetic independence and media literacy in design education.