FPT UNIVERSITY

SUBJECT: RMC201 - RESEARCH

METHODS IN COMMUNICATION

A study about Ho Chi Minh City FPT Undergraduates’ awareness of fandom

phenomenon using CBAM model

GROUP MEMBER SUPERVISOR

1 Nguyễn Văn Quân - SS170452 Mrs.Lê Thị Mỹ Danh

2 Nguyễn Trần Gia Hân - SS170339

3 Trần Như Phúc - SS170338

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TABLE OF CONTENT
A. ABSTRACT 3
B. INTRODUCTION 4
I. Introduction of research problem 4
II. The results of the topic analysis process 4
2.1. Objectives 4
2.2. Purposes 4
2.3. Target audience research: 4
2.4. Research question and hypothesis 4
2.5. Research scope 5
2.6. Meaning of the topic: 5
C. LITERATURE REVIEW 5
I. Fandom definition 5
II. Fandom explained by participatory culture 6
III. What these literature papers are missing 8
IV. This research’s resolution to resolve the gap 9
D. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 9
I. Interest rates (Robert E.Hall) 9
II. 5 dimensions of fandom (Henry Jenkins) 9
E. METHODOLOGY/METHOD 10
I. Research question 10
II. Research participants 10
III. Data analysis 10
3.1. Qualitative research 10
3.2. Quantitative sampling 11
F. ANALYSIS 15
I. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 1 15
II. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 2 17
III. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 3 18
IV. Data analysis of three questions about dimension 4 19
V. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 5 21
G. CONCLUSION 23
H. REFERENCE 23

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 A. ABSTRACT
The fandom phenomenon has been around for a long time in countries notably
Korea, Japan, and other Western countries. In Vietnam, in recent years, the fandom
phenomenon is also developing strongly in many fields. This article focuses on
analysing and assessing the level of interest of FPT university students in the
Fandom phenomenon in Vietnam, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the
views of FPT students in particular and Vietnamese students in general. The study
uses the Stages of Concern Questionnaires (SoCQ) from the CBAM
(Concerns-Based Adoption Model) model and is discussed based on the 5
dimensions of Fandom (Henry Jenkins). Data collected from various documents and
FPT survey with 150 participants will show how FPT students perceive 5 aspects of
existing fandom in the Vietnamese community.
Keyword: fandom phenomenon, level of interest, undergraduates, FPT University
students, Concerns-Based Adoption Model, Henry Jenkins

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 B. INTRODUCTION
I. Introduction of research problem
In recent years, fandom phenomena among young people has become popular. That
is when celebrities constantly appear in the media, and the content related to idols
and fandom plays a role in media production around the world.
The fandom phenomenon has had significant effects on many aspects of life. First
and foremost, it has an impact on young people in both positive and negative ways.
Furthermore, it promotes good values in the community through fandom charity and
fundraising activities. In particular, the phenomenon of fandom also helps to diversify
the culture of the country through the introduction of international popular culture
waves with the popularity of foreign idols.
In Vietnam, the fandom phenomenon has developed to the extent that there have
been famous and strong fandom communities in many fields, such as sports,
entertainment, music, cinema, etc. There are some famous fandoms like Owker, Sky,
Otaku, ARMY, etc. However, in Vietnam, there have not been many research papers
related to fandom phenomenon, especially studies on this topic for students.
Therefore, this study was conducted to provide the necessary information and
materials for society.

II. The results of the topic analysis process

2.1. Objectives
This study was carried out with the aim of assessing the level of interest in the
fandom phenomenon in Vietnam among students of FPT University in Ho Chi Minh
City, and then proposing some appropriate solutions to help raise the interest of the
community about this phenomenon.

2.2. Purposes
This study was conducted to target specific research subjects - FPT’s students in Ho
Chi Minh city in order to provide more insight into the perspective of FPT students in
particular as well as students in Vietnam in general.

2.3. Target audience research

- FPT’s student in Ho Chi Minh city

2.4. Research question and hypothesis

- Research question: FPT's Students in Ho Chi Minh city, who are likely to be
affected by the fandom phenomenon, are interested in this phenomenon? If
so, what is the level of concern?
- Hypothesis: FPT’s students not only have a deep understanding of this issue,
but are also interested in learning about and participating in fandom
communities.

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2.5. Research scope
- Sample size range: FPT’s student
- Time range: from the time the survey started until the submission of the full
text
- Spatial scope: campus space and faculties at FPT University in Ho Chi Minh
City
- Content scope:
+ Source from domestic and foreign research papers on the phenomenon of
fandom
+ Research on awareness about FPT students' behaviour towards this issue
- Scope of survey subjects: students of different faculties and courses in FPT
University in HCMC (listed)

2.6. Meaning of the topic

2.6.1. Theoretical significance: opening a new research model, adding to the
resources of scientific research, especially the problem of fandom phenomenon in
Vietnam.
2.6.2. Practical significance: proposing some suitable solutions to raise the interest
of researchers in general and the community in Vietnam in particular about this
phenomenon.

C. LITERATURE REVIEW
I. Fandom definition
According to the Henry Jenkins’ research “Fandom, Negotiation, and Participatory
Culture, Chapter one” (3) the definition of fandom is broadly defined, specifically:
“Fandom refers to those who claim a common identity and a shared culture with
other fans. Fandoms developed distinctive patterns of interpretation, modes of social
interaction, and forms of cultural production which emerged from the community’s
shared passions and interests”.
“A fandom is better understood as a more expansive subculture, whose members
engage with a broad array of different media objects but who share traditions and
practices built up over many years.”
“Fandom might be described as an audience that thinks and acts like a public,
conscious of its own “shared sociability, shared identity,” “calling for attention” by
advocating for particular kinds of stories.”
In brief, Henry Jenkins concisely defines the two terms “fan” and “fandom” as:
Fan: used loosely to describe anyone who forms an intense affective bond with a
particular property, whether or not they share those feelings with anyone else.
Sometimes, being a fan means nothing more than pressing a “like” button on some
Facebook page.
Fandom: refers to those who claim a common identity and a shared culture with
other fans, or can be understood as a more expansive subculture, whose members

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engage with a broad array of different media objects but who share traditions and
practices built up over many years.
Thus, it is inferred that a fandom is a gathering of individuals who join together as a
community group of a subculture. In the subsequent part, we will elaborate on the
importance of this group of individuals being sustained by participatory engagement
and its diversity as an alternative culture.

II. Fandom explained by participatory culture

It is still, in the book "Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture" it
is mentioned that fans are often anti-social, simple-minded, obsessive people.
However, those are only one-sided and biased comments about fans as well as
people in the community. In fact, this community is more complex and diverse than
we thought, and in the CONCLUSION “In My Weekend-Only World…”:
Reconsidering Fandom, Jenkins offers five levels of community activities to prove it.
demonstrate that diversity.

Level 1
Fandom acts as a means of adopting a particular culture. Fans not only watch and
understand TV shows or music, or read and grasp a novel, but they also pay
attention, create feelings and intimacy to the text. They can watch it over and over
with careful scrutiny for details that are meaningful and valuable to them; from there
they develop narratives of their understanding from their own perspective and
values, under their own control. Not only that, but they also transform their reception
into social interactions with others in the fandom community. This partly proves that
fans are not really anti-social people, fans participate in activities of sharing,
expressing opinions, discussing and debating the meanings of those series. For
them, viewing and receiving a series is the beginning of the media consumption
process.

Level 2
A fandom is a group of people engaging in processes of understanding and
evaluating reality. Fans emphasized their interest in specific textual details and
consistency across episodes of the show. They also create a parallel between their
lives and the events of that series. Play the role of evaluation, criticism to fill in the
missing gaps as well as explore and exploit more details and undeveloped
potentials.
It can be said that at this level of reception and understanding that takes them further
than the information that is available is presented explicitly, this level is towards
building a more enormous meta-text, with a wide range of diversity and maybe,
interestingly, more complete than the original.

Level 3

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Fandom also serves as a base for consumer activism. Fans are more proactive,
standing up and responding to the producer network, asserting their right to rate,
critique, and voice their opinion on developments to the show. Moreover, they also
know how to organize advocacy activism on behalf of the programs that are on the
verge of being cancelled.
In a nutshell, the fandom community - an informal fan community that provides an
environment in which fans can freely talk about their cultural preferences and affirm
their wishes for alternative developments.
In addition, there are official fan organizations that are established and maintain the
interests of viewers, and at the same time transform them into a broader consumer
group to buy fandom products such as fandom products. spinoffs, soundtracks,
novels, sequels, etc.

Level 4
Fandom as an art world with special forms of cultural production. Fan artists, writers,
videomakers, musicians create creative works from their inspiration thanks to the
fandom communities they belong to. Fandom created its own genres and developed
different institutions such as production, distribution, display and consumption. Media
texts can and will certainly be remade or covered by viewers so that materials with
significant potential can be exploited more clearly and better in order to fully satisfy
the expectations of the audience. more than enough according to their own cultural
interests.
Fan art as another form of self-interested motivations in mainstream cultural
production activities, fan artists create artworks to share with fan fellows. This fan
distribution system denies profits and is intended to expand access to a world of
other creative products.
Fandom does not really separate artists and consumers, every fan can be potential
writers who possess the necessary talents and need to be discovered, nurtured,
facilitated and promoted; These people can make significant contributions, even if
modest, to the cultural well-being of a large community. Henry Jenkins says that
during his research for this book he spoke to many people who discovered their
hidden abilities and developed them into skills or even talents with encouragement,
support from people in the fandom that they haven't joined before. They often have
multiple opportunities one after another in the process of developing these skills.

Level 5
Fandom acts as a community of other people. Networked communications have
made each of these aspects of fandom more widely accessible to the general public
“Weekend-only World” or Utopian community are both terms used to address this
alternative community. Fan culture thinks that the Utopian dimension within
pop-culture is the place for them to build their own subculture. Its purpose is to
satisfy needs to attract its members to the entertainment commerce, most especially
the need to want to associate, make friends and become members of the
community.

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Real life doesn't often help them achieve those ideals. Fans, like all of us, live in a
world where traditional forms of community life are increasingly disintegrating, and
material values ​often dominate emotional and social needs. Fans choose to react
against such dissatisfying situations by trying to establish a "Weekend-only World"
where the community becomes more open to creativity and accepting differences,
caring about human welfare rather than economic growth.
However, fandoms sometimes fall short of those ideals; Fan communities are
sometimes rife with feuds and personality conflicts. There are people
greedy and rude, however, unlike mundane reality, fandom is still one
space where commitment to more democratic values ​can be renewed and fostered.
As for negative non-communal behaviour, which is like a violation of the social
contract that binds fans together, that behaviour will often become the focus of
collective outrage.
Of course no one can live forever in this Utopia, fans have to come and go from the
fandom, they find “Weekend-only world” where they can enjoy before being forced
back to the workaday world . Within the few short hours they spend each month
interacting with other fans, they find more than the superficiality of relationships and
the shoddy value of consumer culture. In short, a space that allows them to explore
"the feeling of Utopia".

To recapitulate, the explosion of digital networked media has made these aspects of
the fandom more widely accessible to the masses. Henry Jenkins later developed a
more complete definition of fandom as participatory culture, which emphasises the
way these communities work at sites for informal learning and interpretation process
(Jenkins et al. 2009). As defined by Professor Jenkins, fandom is a participatory
culture characterised by low barriers to artistic creativity and participation by people;
this strongly supports creation and sharing with others. In addition, there is also
support from mentors all over the world, whom with considerable experience will
pass on to non-specialists voluntarily or not. In this community members can feel like
their contribution matters and feel a degree of social connection with each other.

III. What these literature papers are missing

The researches of Dr. Henry Jenkins around the phenomenon of fandom have
contributed significantly to fan studies in particular and to the field of sociology
research in general. His research helps build many theoretical and practical
foundations in the academic world, but most of these studies are conducted and
verified in the world outside Vietnam. Based on the literature related to Henry
Jenkins' level of engagement of fandom hypotheses used in studies in Vietnam, the
application of this hypothesis (or theory) to the phenomenon of fandom in the region
This is very scarce and for students is not yet available. This hypothesis has not
been applied to research on the fandom community of FPT University students
within the campus in Ho Chi Minh City.

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IV. This research’s resolution to resolve the gap
To fill this gap, this study will inherit the hypothesis about 5 levels of fandom of Henry
Jenkins and apply this hypothesis to the research objective as well as the research
object of the article. This topic will test and thereby contribute more data for this
hypothesis, that is, the research object is FPT University students and the sampling
scope is FPT University in HCMC area.

D. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
I. Interest rates (Robert E.Hall)
Interest is a motor mental activity that involves attention, curiosity about an
item, and awakens sensations and ideas (Hall et al., 1977). It is possible to
say that paying attention is the first stage in developing consciousness, which
is the act of dialectically reflecting the outside environment into the human
brain (Ministry of Education and Training, 2009). The study therefore focuses
on students' interest in the topic rather than their awareness of it.

Interests vary from person to person and rely on personal background

(gender, ethnicity, living situation, etc.), knowledge, and experience (Hall et
al., 1977).

Interests are subjective, evolve through time, and go through numerous

phases. In particular, a person will feel extremely certain about the same
thing, yet that concern will progressively fade as other worries emerge. The
Stages of Interest Questionnaire (SoCQ) from the Concerns-Based Adoption
Model (CBAM) is one of the methodologies used to ascertain the stage and
level of concern of an individual or group of persons regarding the fandom
phenomena occurring in Vietnam.

II. 5 dimensions of fandom (Henry Jenkins)

Five core dimensions of fandom:
(1) as a particular mode of reception;
(2) as a particular set of critical and interpretive practices;
(3) as a base for consumer activism;
(4) as an art world which supports particular forms of cultural production;
(5) as an alternative social community. Networked communications have
made each of these aspects of fandom more widely accessible to the general
public

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 This study will use 5 dimensions of fandom to build a survey questionnaire.
The questions in the table will be written as a level of interest questionnaire
(SoCQ) on a scale of 0 to 5.

E. METHODOLOGY/METHOD
I. Research question
What impact does the fandom phenomenon have on FPT university students
in Ho Chi Minh City in terms of interest?

II. Research participants

Subjects participating in the study are 150 students from FPT University in Ho
Chi Minh City, which will include students from all 3 major groups of the
school (Information Technology, Business Administration, Languages). The
age of research participants is from 18 to 23 years old.

III. Data analysis

3.1. Qualitative research

Inheriting previous resources, applying different methodologies to infer
solutions
Using the methodology to derive the model

This study has inherited the previous documents of scholars on the

topic of fandom, especially those of Henry Jenkins. This is followed by
applying different methodologies, including the use of 5 dimensions of
fandom by Henry Jenkins and CBAM model to derive the solution and
model of this study. The following sections will elaborate on the model
used in this article:

The survey questionnaire to investigate the students' interest in the

fandom phenomenon was built based on 5 dimensions of Henry
Jenkins and applied the Concerns Based Adoption Model or CBAM of
Hall & Hord to discuss the survey results. From there, we can answer
the hypothesis.

CBAM model (Concerns-Based Adoption Model):

The cognitive-based adaptive model _ CBAM (Concerns-Based
Adoption Model) of Rutherford in 1977 in Australia, the model that
combines the ACOT project (Dwyer et al., 1991), the transformative
model of teaching (the Instructional). Transformation model) by Rieber
& Welliver in 1989.

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 The CBAM model has three main directions, namely: Stages of
Concern (SoC), Levels of Use (LoU) and Innovation Configuration (IC).
The first is for interpretation and the third is for diagnosis of nature and
scope. Each of the above presents an aspect of the change process,
the SoC and LoU focus on the implementer, while the IC examines the
nature of the innovation process itself.

However, this study will only use the first direction in the CBAM model.
It is Stage of Concerns _ SoC to analyse the results after doing the
survey from the survey questionnaire.

3.2. Quantitative sampling

The study will use the form of an online questionnaire survey to collect
opinions from 170 students at FPT University in Ho Chi Minh City. In
particular, the survey will collect from all students from 3 major groups
of the school (information technology, business administration,
languages) and from different courses studying at the school (K13 to
K18)

The survey questions will be built on the 5 dimensions of Henry

Jenkins' fandom phenomenon and combined with a 5-level scale of
interest from low to high

The first are questions about the survey respondents' personal

information:

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Then, the survey provides the definition of two terms "Fan" and
"Fandom" as defined by Mr. Henry Jenkins so that surveyors have
more information and basis to answer the following survey questions:

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In dimension 1 of Henry Jenkins (a particular mode of reception), the
survey has two questions:

In dimension 2 of Henry Jenkins (a particular set of critical and

interpretive practices), the survey has two questions:

In dimension 3 of Henry Jenkins (a base for consumer activism), the

survey has two questions:

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In dimension 4 of Henry Jenkins (an art world which supports particular
forms of cultural production), the survey has three questions:

In dimension 5 of Henry Jenkins (an alternative social community.

Networked communications have made each of these aspects of
fandom more widely accessible to the general public), the survey has
two questions:

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 In the next part, we will analyse and evaluate more closely the results
collected from this survey form

F. ANALYSIS
The questionnaires received 166 responses in total: 46.4% (77 respondents) are
students of the Business Administration major, 36.7% (61 respondents) are students
of information technology and 16.9% (28 respondents) are students of the language
major. In term of student's academic year distribution, the majority of respondents
were students of class 17 (41.6%, 69 people), followed by 21.7% of students of class
18, 21.1% of students of class 16, and the rest is distributed with a small number of
students in class 15, 14 and 13. When asked if they know about the phenomenon of
fandom or the term fandom, 105 people (63.3%) answered "Yes ", 38 people (22.9%)
answered "No" and 23 people (13.9%) answered not sure.

For those who answered “Yes” or “Unknown” will be moved to another section to
answer a number of questions designed according to the 5 dimensions of Henry
Jenkins and the CBAM model (main body of the survey). Therefore, the survey
questions below have obtained 128 results.

I. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 1

Figure 1: Response to the level of interest in the fandom phenomenon as well as
fandom communities.

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Figure 2: Response to the level of understanding of the fandom phenomenon.

Mức quan
tâm 1 2 3 4 5
Số lượng 5 19 48 103 81
Tỉ lệ (%) 2 7.4 18.8 40.2 31.6

With the highest obtained results at level 4, it can be seen that FPT students
understand and pay attention to the phenomenon of fandom. However this interest is
only relatively high because at level 5 (level "very interested/participating in the
fandom community") has a lower response rate than 4 to 8.6%. And there is still a
small part of students who do not care (2%) or pay little attention (7.4%) to this
phenomenon.

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 II. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 2

Figure 3: Response to the possibility that you are / will participate in fandom
communities on forums, groups, fanpage ... online or offline

Figure 4: Response to participating, delving into, discussing, or criticising various

issues within the fandom.

Mức quan
tâm 1 2 3 4 5
Số lượng 9 20 39 98 90
Tỉ lệ (%) 3.5 7.8 15.2 38.3 35.2

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The statistics table shows that 38.3% and 35.9% chose for level 4 and 5,
respectively (being a member of the fandom community and learning and discussing
a lot about issues in the fandom). It shows that FPT students in Ho Chi Minh City
campus not only understand and care about the phenomenon of fandom, but also
participate in a fandom community, participate in voicing opinions, discussing and
sharing with others people in the same community. However, on the scale of 4 and 5,
the rate of interest in the two questions has a small difference. In figure 3, 35.9% and
38.3% of the survey respondents chose a scale of 4 and 5 respectively. While in
figure 4, the numbers were 40.6% and 32%. From that, it can be said that a student
may not participate in a fandom community but still tend to learn and discuss the
issues of a fandom community.

III. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 3

Figure 5: Response to willingness to speak up to reflect inappropriate or inhibitory
actions towards your idol or fandom

Figure 6: Response to contributing ideas, standing up for your community before

content producers or network operators

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 Mức quan tâm 1 2 3 4 5
Số lượng 12 38 49 77 80
Tỉ lệ (%) 4.7 14.85 19.15 30.1 31.25

Regarding the first question of this dimension (see figure 5), the two samples that
obtained the most out of 128 responses were level 5 (35.2%) and level 4 (26.6%),
which indicates the extent to which The likeliness that FPT fandom students are
willing to stand up for their idols is very high. However, level 2 - "less likely" to speak
up for his idol, his fandom is also quite significant when it accounts for 21.1% of the
total 128 answers. This implies certain fan concerns and some establishments are
likely to exploit further to explain the reason for this number.

The second question with level 4 - "relatively likely" is the highest 33.6% of the
sample collected. FPT TP.HCM students belonging to the fandom have a relatively
high ability to stand up and give feedback and contribute their views, criticisms as
well as affirm their desire for alternative developments with producers and operators.

IV. Data analysis of three questions about dimension 4

Figure 7: Response to knowing or participating in the creation of creative works for
your fandom.

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Figure 8: Response to respondent's acceptance of fanwork products

Figure 9: Response to whether they will pay for their idols, fandoms.

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 Mức quan tâm 1 2 3 4 5
Số lượng 21 34 54 140 135
Tỉ lệ (%) 5.5 8.9 14 36.5 35.1

Figure 7. In this chart, FPT fandom has a significant recognition and response to the
creative process for its fandom's creative works with the figure of 42.2% out of 128
responses.

Figure 8. In order, level 5 is the highest even though it is only 2.4% more than level
4, but looking at the map with the number of 97/128 people (knowing or interested in
the fandom phenomenon) "welcome" and " very welcoming", it can be shown that
the fandom community here has a high level of understanding, interest and
acceptance of fan's creative products for their community.

Figure 9. When participating in commercial activities, making purchases, fandom

members in Ho Chi Minh City expressed the highest "interest/participation" with an
index of 33.6%. From there it is inferred the level of likeliness that students of the
fandom community can engage in commercial activities such as buying merch,
buying albums, etc. of his idol.

V. Data analysis of two questions about dimension 5

Figure 10: Response to feeling that the fandom community is a suitable place for the
development of entertainment activities, hobbies or personal development

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Figure 11: Response to feeling to be themselves in their fandom community

Mức quan tâm 1 2 3 4 5

Số lượng 2 15 37 110 92

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 Tỉ lệ (%) 0.8 5.9 14.5 43 35.8

According to the above statistics, the fandom community is a very suitable place for
students to be listened to and shared, where there are activities and entertainment to
develop themselves and where you can learn more about yourself, live as yourself,
with a total rate of 43% and 35.8% for two scales of 4 and 5 respectively. The
surprising result is that there are very few students who disagree with this idea, only
2 students out of 128 survey results.

G. CONCLUSION
This research paper has made specific contributions: contributing more resources to
academic research on fandom, contributing to henry jenkins' theory in the sample of
fandom community in Vietnam, specifically: FPT students. And develop this
hypothesis further by applying the CBAM model.

Besides, this study still has some limitations. First, we only conducted research and
surveys on the sample of FPT students in Ho Chi Minh City. HCM. Because there
are still FPT students at other campuses (Hanoi, Can Tho,...) and not only FPT
students but also students at other schools. Finally, only surveyed FPT students are
classified by industry, not by separate industries.

However, this research paper will be the development foundation for future studies
on the same topic and solve the above limitations.

H. REFERENCE
(1) Lê Phan Xuân Ngọc & Lê Trần Thiên Ý (2018). Mức độ quan tâm của sinh viên
trường đại học cần thơ về di chuyển lao động trong cộng đồng kinh tế asean.
Retrieved from: https://ctujsvn.ctu.edu.vn/index.php/ctujsvn/article/view/2927/892

(2) Jenkins, Henry. 1992. Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory
Culture. New York: Routledge.

(3) Paul Booth (2018). A Companion to Media Fandom and Fan Studies. Rouledge

(4) Đinh Việt Hà. (15/12/2020). Sức mạnh mềm của văn hóa và hiện tượng hâm mộ
thần tượng ở giới trẻ. Retrieved from:
http://vanhoanghethuat.vn/suc-manh-mem-cua-van-hoa-va-hien-tuong-ham-mo-than
-tuong-o-gioi-tre.htm

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