ObjectivesGrounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study investigated the impact of openness to experience on both subjective and psychological well-being among college students, with a specific focus on the mediating mechanisms of art-related aesthetic perception and needs.MethodsA sample of 558 college students (Mage = 18.40, SD = 1.38) completed standardized assessments. Mediation modeling was employed to test the direct and indirect pathways between personality traits and well-being.Resul