Cultural identity and perception of graphic design in students from La Loma, Cesar, Colombia

Abstract

Cultural identity constitutes a strategic resource in visual communication, as it enables graphic messages to generate recognition, a sense of belonging, and greater comprehension among receptors. The objective of this research was to analyze the incidence of Cesar’s cultural identity on the perception of graphic design among 11th-grade students in the village of La Loma, municipality of El Paso, Colombia. A mixed-methods approach was developed with a quantitative predominance, following a non-experimental and cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 48 high school students who were administered a structured survey using a five-level Likert scale, complemented by comparative visual stimuli and open-ended questions. The instrument showed high internal consistency (α = 0.86). The results evidenced a favorable assessment of graphic pieces containing cultural references, highlighting dimensions such as aesthetic valuation (M = 4.07), comprehension and emotional connection (M = 3.94), and symbolic recognition (M = 3.90). Positive correlations were identified between cultural identity and message comprehension (Rho = 0.591; p < 0.001), as well as between emotional comprehension and design valuation (Rho = 0.75; p < 0.001). In the qualitative responses, students recognized Vallenato music, the accordion, and the Vallenato Legend Festival as the main representative symbols, although references to rurality, landscape, mining, and community life also emerged. It is concluded that the incorporation of local cultural elements enhances the communicative effectiveness of graphic design and fosters youth identification processes; therefore, it is recommended to promote contextualized visual proposals in educational and local settings.