Influence of Social Media on Self-Identity Formation and the Development of Interpersonal Ability in University Students

Muhammad Farih Ramdlani; Hani Atul Khoiriyah; Uthman Shehu Lawal

doi:10.61987/edsojou.v1i2.633

Authors

Muhammad Farih Ramdlani UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta
Hani Atul Khoiriyah Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah
Uthman Shehu Lawal Kaduna State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61987/edsojou.v1i2.633

Keywords:

Social Media, Self-Identity, Interpersonal Skills, Digital Identity, Social Pressure

Abstract

This study aims to explore the influence of social media on the formation of students' self-identity and interpersonal skills. In a social context, social media offers opportunities for students to express themselves and network, but it also brings challenges such as social pressure and a decline in face-to-face interaction. This study was conducted with a descriptive qualitative approach in State Islamic universities, using interview, observation, and documentation techniques to collect data. The results show that social media allows students to form digital identities through tailored content, but it often raises unrealistic social expectations. In addition, reliance on social media reduces the intensity and quality of face-to-face interactions, which impacts interpersonal skills such as empathy and listening. This research makes an important contribution to understanding the dynamics of social media in the socio-cultural context of Indonesia, but it has limitations in population coverage. These findings are expected to serve as a basis for further research and the development of more thoughtful social media use strategies.

References

Abaido, G. M. (2020). Cyberbullying on Social Media Platforms Among University Students in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 407-420. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1669059

Aktas, S., & Pasinlioğlu, T. (2021). The Effect of Empathy Training Given to Midwives on the Empathic Communication Skills of Midwives and the Birth Satisfaction of Mothers Giving Birth with the Help of These Midwives: A Quasi‐Experimental Study. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 27(4), 858-867. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13523

Alton Endarwanto Hadi Susanto, Nadiroh, Hafid Abbas, & Agung Purwanto. (2023). Lifestyle: Flexing Behavior in Social Media. International Journal of Economics (IJEC, 2)(1), 27-31. https://doi.org/10.55299/ijec.v2i1.410

Bazi, S., Filieri, R., & Gorton, M. (2020). Customers' Motivation to Engage with Luxury Brands on Social Media. Journal of Business Research, 112, 223-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.02.032

Bearman, M., & Ajjawi, R. (2023). Learning to Work with the Black Box: Pedagogy for a World With Artificial Intelligence. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(5), 1160-1173. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13337

Berdiieva, S., & Goroshko, O. (2022). Use of TikTok Social Media in the Ukrainian University Branding. Social Communications: Theory and Practice, 13(2), 171-183. https://doi.org/10.51423/2524-0471-2021-13-2-7

Bhandari, A., & Bimo, S. (2022). Why's Everyone on TikTok Now? The Algorithmized Self and the Future of Self-Making on Social Media. Social Media and Society, 8(1), 20563051221086240. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051221086241

Blakemore, T., & Agllias, K. (2020). Social Media, Empathy and Interpersonal Skills: Social Work Students' Reflections in the Digital Era. Social Work Education, 39(2), 200-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2019.1619683

Chen, E. C., Boyd, D. M., & Cunningham, C. A. (2020). Demarginalizing Stigmatized Identities of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Individuals Through Affirmative Group Therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 70(4), 552-578. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207284.2020.1755291

Darr, C. R., & Doss, E. F. (2022). The Fake One Is the Real One: Finstas, Authenticity, and Context Collapse in Teen Friend Groups. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 27(4), zmac009. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmac009

Faiz, H., Al-Amin, M. F., Mundiri, A., & Fahmi, A. (2023). Transforming Organizational Quality Through Effective Administrative Training. Communautaire: Journal of Community Service, 2(2), 157-167. https://doi.org/10.61987/communautaire.v2i2.352

Feher, K. (2021). Digital Identity and the Online Self: Footprint Strategies - An Exploratory and Comparative Research Study. Journal of Information Science, 47(2), 192-205. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551519879702

Granic, I., Morita, H., & Scholten, H. (2020). Beyond Screen Time: Identity Development in the Digital Age. Psychological Inquiry, 31(3), 195-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2020.1820214

Haimson, O. L., Liu, T., Zhang, B. Z., & Corvite, S. (2021). The Online Authenticity Paradox: What Being "Authentic" on Social Media Means, and Barriers to Achieving It. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CSCW2), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1145/3479567

Herrero, J., Torres, A., Vivas, P., Arenas, Á. E., & Urueña, A. (2022). Examining the Empirical Links Between Digital Social Pressure, Personality, Psychological Distress, Social Support, Users' Residential Living Conditions, and Smartphone Addiction. Social Science Computer Review, 40(5), 1153-1170. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439321998357

Ihsaniyati, H., Sarwoprasodjo, S., Muljono, P., & Gandasari, D. (2023). The Use of Social Media for Development Communication and Social Change: A Review. Sustainability, 15(3), 2283. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032283

Iranmanesh, A., & Abokhamis Mousavi, S. (2023). Insights From the Relationship Between Urban Form, Social Media, and Edu-Tourism. Current Issues in Tourism, 26(15), 2559-2574. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2090908

Kalam, A., Goi, C. L., & Tiong, Y. Y. (2023). Student Motivations for Social Media Use and Their Effects on Academic Performance: A Meditational Approach in Emerging Market. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 20(3), 313-334. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-09-2022-0115

Kolhar, M., Kazi, R. N. A., & Alameen, A. (2021). Effect of Social Media Use on Learning, Social Interactions, and Sleep Duration Among University Students. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28(4), 2216-2222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.01.010

Kroencke, L., Harari, G. M., Back, M. D., & Wagner, J. (2023). Well-Being in Social Interactions: Examining Personality-Situation Dynamics in Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 124(2), 437. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000422

Król, K., & Zdonek, D. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Impact on Intrinsic Motivation in Generation Z: A Case Study from Poland. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 70(4-5), 442-458. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-08-2020-0113

Liu, Z., Hu, R., & Bi, X. (2023). The Effects of Social Media Addiction on Reading Practice: A Survey of Undergraduate Students in China. Journal of Documentation, 79(3), 670-682. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-05-2022-0111

Maulidia, M. (2023). Enhancing Educational Impact: Exploring Effective Media and Public Relations Techniques in Educational Institutions. Ar-Rosikhun: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 2(3), 214-225. https://doi.org/10.18860/rosikhun.v2i3.21644

Nasri, U. (2023). Exploring Qualitative Research: A Comprehensive Guide to Case Study Methodology. Al-Hikmah: Jurnal Studi Islam, 4(3), 72-85. https://ejournal.kopertais4.or.id/sasambo/index.php/alhikmah/article/view/5627

Nassaji, H. (2020). Good Qualitative Research. Language Teaching Research, 24(4), 427-431. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820941288

Obeso, M., Pérez-Pérez, M., García-Piqueres, G., & Serrano-Bedia, A. M. (2023). Enhancing Students' Learning Outcomes Through Smartphones: A Case Study of Using Instagram in Higher Management Education. International Journal of Management Education, 21(3), 100885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100885

Roussos, P. (2023). The Mind Online: Can Digital Technologies Affect How We Think?. Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 28(2), 83-96. https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.36226

Shu, K., Mahudeswaran, D., Wang, S., Lee, D., & Liu, H. (2020). FakeNewsNet: A Data Repository with News Content, Social Context, and Spatiotemporal Information for Studying Fake News on Social Media. Big Data, 8(3), 171-188. https://doi.org/10.1089/big.2020.0062

Stahl, C. C., & Literat, I. (2023). #GenZ on TikTok: The Collective Online Self-Portrait of the Social Media Generation. Journal of Youth Studies, 26(7), 925-946. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2022.2053671

Sun, L. (2023). Social Media Usage and Students' Social Anxiety, Loneliness, and Well-Being: Does Digital Mindfulness-Based Intervention Effectively Work?. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 362. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01398-7

Taylor, S. J., Muchnik, L., Kumar, M., & Aral, S. (2023). Identity Effects in Social Media. Nature Human Behaviour, 7(1), 27-37. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01459-8

Tiggemann, M., & Anderberg, I. (2020). Social Media Is Not Real: The Effect of 'Instagram vs Reality' Images on Women's Social Comparison and Body Image. New Media and Society, 22(12), 2183-2199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819888720

Vodă, A. I., Cautisanu, C., Grădinaru, C., Tănăsescu, C., & de Moraes, G. H. S. M. (2022). Exploring Digital Literacy Skills in Social Sciences and Humanities Students. Sustainability, 14(5), 2483. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052483

Yang, C. chen. (2022). Social Media Social Comparison and Identity Processing Styles: Perceived Social Pressure to Be Responsive and Rumination as Mediators. Applied Developmental Science, 26(3), 504-515. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2021.1894149

Yarış, A., & Aykol, Ş. (2022). The Impact of Social Media Use on Restaurant Choice. Anatolia, 33(3), 310-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2021.1931379

Yurika, M., & Dewi, F. I. R. (2023). The Role of Big Five Personalities on TikTok Engagement Behavior in Adolescents. International Journal of Application on Social Science and Humanities, 1(1), 390-401. https://doi.org/10.24912/ijassh.v1i1.25821