Title:
TO SHARE THE ONLINE SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE: INTEGRATING THE SELF-CONGRUITY AND SOCIAL CAPITAL THEORIES

Authors:
Niu, Lung-Kuang

Abstract:
Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between actual self-congruity, ideal self-congruity, trust, the norm of reciprocity, identification, extrinsic religiosity, intrinsic religiosity, spirituality, and shared knowledge of the online spiritual or religious messages from the perspective of self-congruity and social capital theories. Materials and Methods: The study selected 119 (82 females and 37 males) interviewees. Researchers used partial least squares (PLS) regression and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to measure the model and test the hypothesis. Results: The study showed that actual self-congruity is positively related to trust, the norm of reciprocity, identification, and extrinsic religiosity—ideal self-congruity is positively related to intrinsic religiosity and spirituality. Identification, extrinsic religiosity, and spirituality are positively related to online shared knowledge. Conclusion: Cognitive dimension of social capital is related to ideal self-congruity. Relational and structural dimensions of social capital are related to actual self-congruity. Ideal self-congruity derives from self-identity, and actual self-congruity derives from self-consistency. Self-identity is associated with intrinsic religiosity and spirituality. Self-consistency is associated with trust, the norm of reciprocity, identification, and extrinsic religiosity. Self-identity and self-consistency are positively related to online shared knowledge.

Keywords:
Self-congruity, Social Capital Theory, religiosity, spirituality, online shared knowledge