Motivations Behind The Buddhism-Related Activity Engagement Of Vietnamese young adults: A Case Study On Buddhist retreats At Hoang Phap Monastery

Abstract

This study uses a quantitative approach to examine the motivational factors that influence young adults' engagement in Buddhist retreats at Hoang Phap Monastery in Vietnam, as well as the role of Facebook in shaping their engagement. The research identifies four key motivational factors—intellectual motivation, social motivation, competence mastery, and stimulus avoidance—and evaluates their influence on engagement across three dimensions: vigor, dedication, and absorption. The findings reveal that intellectual motivation is the most significant predictor of engagement among Vietnamese young adults in Buddhist retreats at Hoang Phap Monastery, fostering mental resilience, persistence, inspiration, enthusiasm, and deep concentration during their participation. Social motivation enhances energy and immersive engagement by promoting friendships, shared interests, and respect within the Buddhist community. While competence mastery contributes to immersive engagement, it does not significantly impact overall engagement, and stimulus avoidance, such as seeking solitude or escaping reality, shows no notable influence. Regarding Facebook use, information-seeking behaviors, such as following posts, searching for updates, and relying on retreat information from pages or groups associated with Hoang Phap Monastery, strongly enhance engagement across three dimensions. In contrast, social interaction behaviors like liking, commenting, or sharing posts do not significantly influence the engagement of Vietnamese young adults in the retreats. These results highlight the importance of intellectual and social motivations in fostering engagement and suggest that Facebook can be a valuable tool for providing information to potential Buddhist retreat participants. This study offers valuable insights for Buddhist organizations, policymakers, and communication practitioners seeking to enhance young adults' engagement and participation in spiritual practices.