The Role of Social Media Trends in Transforming University Students’ Consumptive Lifestyles in Tulungagung Regency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17509/j50h2f35Keywords:
Consumptive Lifestyle, Digital Trends, Moral Value Education, Social Media, StudentsAbstract
Social media trends provide university students with access to information about products, fashion, and contemporary lifestyles, but students’ responses to these trends may vary according to their social relationships, personal preferences, and financial considerations. This study explores how three university students in Tulungagung Regency describe the relationship between social media trends and their consumption-related choices, including their reflections on personal responsibility and moral values. A qualitative descriptive approach was used, with three students from different higher education institutions selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, with observation and documentation included only where supported by the study’s reported procedures. Data were analysed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman and Saldaña (2014), supported by NVivo 12 Pro. The findings indicate that participants described social media as a source of information, entertainment, and inspiration related to fashion, products, and popular places. Their accounts also identified peer relationships, perceived social expectations, spontaneous interest in products, and anticipated regret as considerations associated with some purchasing decisions. Future research could involve students from multiple institutions and combine interviews with participant diaries and expenditure records to examine consumption-related choices in greater depth.
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