Title:
WHY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN ONLINE RELIGION: The perspective of self-construal theory and empathy-altruism hypothesis

Authors:
Niu, Lung-Kuang

Abstract:
Purpose: This study reveals why people participated in online religion that combines the selfconstrual theory and empathy-altruism hypothesis to explore the relationship of altruism, egoism, religiosity, and online religion. Materials and Methods: The researcher uses the questionnaire survey method and purposive sampling method to focus on online religious practitioners' participation in online discussion forums. The researcher investigates 132 interviewees to understand their online religious inclination and behaviors. The questionnaires are the Religious Commitment Inventory-10 scale, AC Beliefs scale, and the online religion scale. Partial least squares (PLS) regression and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) are used to measure the model. Results: Several findings emerged from this research. First, intrinsic religiosity is positively related to altruism. Second, intrinsic religiosity is positively associated with online religion. Third, extrinsic religiosity is positively associated with online religion. Fourth, egoism is positively related to online religion. Conclusions: This online religion hypothesis has three points. First, three factors positively relate to online religion: intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity, and egoism. They, intrinsic religious practitioners, extrinsic religious practitioners, and egoists, will participate in online religion. Second, altruism is not the independent variable to impact online religion; it is the dependent variable of intrinsic religiosity. Third, according to the empathy-altruism hypothesis, empathic concern is positively related to altruism. It is the secular reason to cause altruism. According to the analysis of this study, intrinsic religiosity is positively associated with altruism. That is the religious basis to cause altruism. The online religion promoter must elevate the public-interest function to increase the possibility of altruists' participation in online discussion forums. Online religious practitioners participate in online discussion forums with multidimensional motivation to acquire spiritual information and interact with others.

Keywords:
egoism, altruism, intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity, online religion