Understanding the Social Cognitive Motivations for Jihad among Muslim Millennials in Southern Philippines: A Psychological Perspective

Jihad is a complex social phenomenon that profoundly impacts the personal and academic growth of Muslim millennials. However, it is often misrepresented in popular media and public discourse, leading to a negative perception. Therefore, this study focuses on jihad al-nafs (struggle against the self) and jihad fi-sabilillah (struggle in the way of God) as personal and academic struggles. It investigates the social cognitive motivations of Muslim millennials (self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and media influence) in undertaking jihad as self- control, striving for improvement, and acquiring knowledge. A descriptive-correlational design was used to analyze responses from 385 Muslim millennials aged 18-38, who were selected through simple random sampling from a higher education institution in Davao Oriental, Southern Philippines. Data was collected using a modified survey questionnaire and analyzed using Spearman Rho. The findings indicate that female Muslim millennials demonstrate a higher socio-cognitive motivation to engage in jihad. Additionally, the results show that respondents were highly motivated to perform jihad regarding self-efficacy and outcome expectancy but were less influenced by the media. Muslim millennials exhibit high self-control, a strong desire for improvement, and a commitment to knowledge acquisition. A narrative inquiry may explore Muslim millennials’ experiences and challenges in explaining jihad to others.