SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGES IN UNITED STATES SOCIETY AND
THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
Introduction
The development of communication and information technology has now reached the
level of vital human needs. Not only in its utilization as an information communication
channel between individuals in social interactions, but also in a broader scope between
institutions and institutions, between regions and regions to between countries and
continents.
Such rapid development has had a wide influence on the social life of the community.
This also triggers a level of change and a shift in the pattern of life and interaction in life.
From patterns that rely on direct communication to communication using the media. The
influence that then slowly enters people's lives is the displacement of local wisdom in the
context of customs and culture more broadly.
Islam as a source of values and teachings for its followers has summarized all the
desires and rules of life for its adherents. Not only those related to life in the world as a form
of practice, but also life afterwards. Likewise, in the context of social relations translated as a
form of "hablum minannas", which regulates patterns of interaction and communication as
an incarnation of da'wah values.
The development of communication technology in this modern century is a progress
in the field of mass culture, so that its influence occurs in all aspects of life. Both urban
communities and communities located far from government centers also experience changes
that occur as a result of the development of communication technology.
Technology and culture itself basically grow and develop along with the progress of
human civilization which has the concept of religion and state. Also a brief overview of
change and development in the view of Islam, how this concept becomes an urgent part of
socio-cultural changes in society in relation to the Da'wah of Islam and the benefit of the
people. Departing from the main and sub-discussions, this paper briefly explores the
relationship between the two and the impact of the changes caused.
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
Culture and the Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
The development of communication technology in United States, especially as it
relates directly to communities and youth organizations, religious and professional
organizations, both related to public services and commerce, is interesting. It is interesting
because it continues to take place, thus forming a kind of public discourse that never has an
end point.
Meanwhile, the concept of culture as understood is a system of ideas or a system of
ideas that is a reference for behavior in the social life of a community. Some of these values
include piety, self-respect, harmony, order, help, consensus, creativity, hard work, harmony,
togetherness, respect and so on.2 All of these are basic, important, valuable and noble
references for people's lives. A value may also be a reference in more than one field of life.
One of the professors of Anthropology at the University of United States, M.J.
Melalatoa, argues that these ideas are the "peaks" in the culture of the ethnic group
concerned and at the same time constitute its cultural system. The peaks of regional cultures
that exist throughout United States are part of the culture of the United States nation. The
peak elements give birth to actions and works in ethnic communities or regional
communities in United States. If there are experts who say that the nation's culture or
national culture must be; distinctive, high quality can be proud of, and unite this nation.
From this view it can also be concluded that United States culture is a combination
and marriage of all national cultures, which undergoes a long process of interaction to form a
new culture. In this context, we can also say that United States culture which is then referred
to as from cultures in the archipelago.
This is reinforced by Hall's opinion, which concludes that culture is the result of a
continuous communication process of community members. Followed later by successors
including David Berlo, who wrote The Process of Coimunication which explicitly
emphasizes the study of culture in the context of intercultural communication. Cultural
understanding is a determining factor for the success of an act of communication. Since then,
the elements of culture began to be studied as a significant variable in the study of
communication and its influence.
Culture is an evolved way of life shared by a group of people and passed down from
generation to generation. Like culture, it is such an integral part of the human being that
many people tend to think of it as genetically inherited. When one tries to communicate with
people of different cultures and adjust to the differences, it proves that culture is learned.
United Statess must prepare themselves for the influence of communication technology on
all cultural aspects of national life.
Because the development of technology today is so extraordinary, especially those
related to telecommunications and information. Existing technology is created with the aim
of helping and providing convenience in various aspects of human life, both when humans
work, move, and even communicate. Positive things from communication technology, for
example, indicate that technology in United States is starting to develop and increase
productivity. But it does not mean that the development of communication technology does
not cause problems or impacts on culture.
Technology can shape individuals how to think, behave in society and the
technology ultimately directs humans to move. Advances in communication technology also
bring social and cultural influences to people's lives. Changes in the way of communication
will shape the way of thinking, behaving and moving towards further technology in human
life. The communication tools formed by humans will eventually affect human life itself.
Communication technology can affect the social and cultural aspects of a group of
people such as cyberspace (websites). If someone is too engrossed in technology such as
cyberspace, they will usually spend hours interacting with a friend or acquaintance. The
advancement of information and communication technology now has its own influence on
culture in United States.
When technology is more advanced, it will bring problems to the regional cultures
that exist in this nation. Regional cultures will increasingly erode because the people
themselves forget or do not develop existing cultures. It is possible that cultures that rely on
wisdom and cultural symbols are replaced by information communication technology so as
to form a human being who is completely dependent.
Another influence of the rapid development of technology is feared to have a
negative impact on the behavior of social life. This is because rapid changes in information
technology have changed the culture of most United Statess, technological advances have
consciously or unconsciously changed the pattern of people's lives. Changes and
developments in communication technology have several impacts on people's lives, both
positive and negative impacts. The presence and development of communication technology
facilitates access to learning and brings information sources closer, but the development of
communication technology also has a negative impact that has a wide space to bring
someone closer to sources that have a negative impact.
Social Change as an Impact of Communication and Interaction
Social interaction and cultural development are constantly changing based on the
times and the level of human needs. Some of these changes occur quickly and others more
slowly. Cultural change can occur unintentionally, such as in the event that a group of people
is hit by a natural disaster such as the eruption of a volcano, a major flood, a fire, etc.,
forcing the community to move. These facts and phenomena in many studies of sociologists
and anthropologists are the trigger for renewal and changes in living habits and interaction
patterns. In addition, cultural change can also occur because it is planned. For example,
technical and health assistance programs from world organizations are often accompanied by
efforts to change culture and perspectives in a certain way.
As happened in the provinces of Aceh and Nias after the earthquake and tsunami
waves on December 26, 2004, which suffered a lot of physical and non-physical damage and
claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. A number of world institutions and community
organizations as well as the state carried out repairs and rehabilitation of development
reconstruction which consciously or not, programmed or not has made the people of Aceh
and Nias have a different mindset than before.
This does not include changes in local culture which may also experience a shift from
the previous culture or even a fusion of cultures in the local community with migrants, with
humanitarian missions as volunteers and so on.
The process of interaction between migrants and indigenous people who are in
trouble, in certain cases because of the urgency of the situation they often leave the rules and
norms of the previous culture and follow the cultural patterns of the migrants. In this kind of
interaction, the main thing that connects the two cultures is communication. When
communication becomes the main means of social life, then in fact the process of
acculturation and assimilation has also infiltrated it unintentionally which further contributes
to the color of socio-cultural life.
The next stage is the birth of cultural patterns or social behavior that tend to be
somewhat different from the previous culture, the result of these new habits and cultural
patterns which then become a kind of acculturation and assimilation, although the
characteristics of local culture are not completely lost but it has experienced a kind of social
renewal.
The process of acculturation and assimilation has existed for a long time in the
history of human culture, but the process of acculturation which has a special nature arose
when the culture of the nations in Western Europe began to spread to all other regions of the
earth, and began to affect tribal societies in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, Latin
America and others.
In the 15th century the European nations established centers of power in various
places on other continents and these centers became the base of the colonial governments
that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century reached their peak.
Through this also developed the various efforts to spread Christianity. The result of this
massive process is that today, there is hardly an ethnic group on earth that has been spared
the influence of elements of European culture.
While it is true that elements from one culture cannot be introduced into another
culture without causing some changes to that culture, we must remember that culture is not
static; it is always changing. Even without the disruption caused by the introduction of
foreign cultural elements, the culture of a particular society is bound to change with the
passage of time.
In every culture there is always a certain amount of freedom for individuals and
individual freedom introduces variations in ways of behaving and those variations may
eventually become shared, and thus become part of the culture. Or perhaps some aspects of
the environment will change, requiring new cultural adaptations. That culture is always
changing, it turns out people notice most of our customs. The ways of dressing, for example,
have changed.
Koenjtaraningrat states in the context of acculturation and assimilation that; the
various colors of human behavior are not only caused by racial characteristics, but because
of the collectives in which humans associate and interact. What is the real form of human
collectives? Today, they are collectives consisting of many human beings spread across the
earth as close-knit human units, and are called national states. By the end of the 20th century,
almost every human being in the world belongs to one of these national states.
In Southeast Asia, where we live, there are human units that exist as large and small
national states, such as Malaysia, United States, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Vietnam, Laos, Muangtai and Burma. In Western Europe, for example, there are human
units that also exist as large and small national states, such as Britain, the Netherlands,
France, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium, Luxemberg, Lichtenstein and others.8
Socio-cultural Impact of the Development of Communication Technology
A communication figure, Everett M. Rogers, explained that there are four categories
of media that have developed in society, which he called New Communication Technology,
which has greatly affected human life, namely writing media (writing), printing media
(printing), telecommunication media (telecommnication), and interactive communication
media (interactive communication).
Departing from the role and function of mass communication media which dominates
people's lives in obtaining information and entertainment as well as those that are not.
The social impact of technological progress and development, especially
telecommunications, multimedia information will greatly affect changes in organizational
order and social relations, due to the flexibility and ability of telematics to enter every aspect
of human life. This condition will appear in the changes that occur in society, both
ideological, socio-cultural, political conditions to the security conditions of a country.
The scope of the social impact of communication technology covers all aspects from
the speed of adoption of an innovation, technology utility, process, to the impact on
communication technology in society. Impact and effect in the sense of the communication
process are very different in meaning, the effect of communication is more directed to
changes in individual behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and actions caused by the transmission
of communication messages. Thus some of Rogers' opinions regarding the influence and
impact of communication on the audience.
While the impact of communication is more directed to changes in individuals or
social systems as a result of the acceptance or rejection of an innovation. According to
Rogers and Parker noticed some impacts of communication technology, among others:
Monopoly in the management of information provision and utilization
Uneven distribution of information
Information pollution
Infiltration of privacy
Issues related to copyright arise.12
In relation to the above, there are some concerns and expectations from the
communication revolution:
The value of representative government and citizen participation will be ignored.
Certain groups may gain disproportionate influence by using computers to post names and
characteristics of targeted persons or direct political appeals through direct mail. Or through
"interactive systems", for example through two-way telephones or cable TV to conduct
public opinion polls can lead to poor judgment in decision-making.
Psychological and cultural hazards.
Psychological and cultural hazards: this will lead to further specialization of attention
and competence. There is a demand for individual functions and responsibilities in a high-
tech information system. Establishment in technical knowledge spreads in society, especially
among people in decision-making positions. Advances in information technology can result
in an anti-technology backlash towards anti-science and then towards anti-knowledge.
The classification of the Social Impact of Communication Technology according to
Rogers is Desirable Impact Undisireable impact. This impact leads to the functioning of an
innovation by an individual or a social system. This impact leads to the non-functioning of
an innovation by the community or social system. Direct impact Indirect Impact Individuals
or social systems respond immediately or quickly to innovations. Changes occur in
individuals or social systems after direct impact Anticipate Impact Unanticipated Impact.
Changes that occur can be anticipated because the innovation is known or recognized by
members of the social system. Changes that occur cannot be anticipated because the
innovation has not been known or recognized by members of the social system.
Factors that influence the occurrence of mass communication effects can vary, but the
effect can take the form of three things; cognitive effects (knowledge), affective (emotional
and feelings) and behavioral (changes in behavior). In the current development of
contemporary communication, the actual process of influence (the emergence of cognitive,
affective and behavioral effects) cannot stand alone. So the message does not directly hit the
individual, but is "filtered", thought about and considered whether he wants to accept mass
media messages or not. These factors determine the size of the effect factor carried out by
the mass media.
In other words, there are several factors that influence the process of message
reception. There are two main factors that contribute to it, namely individual factors and
social factors. Individual factors that influence the message reception process are more
influenced by psychological thinking. A psychologist will see that a person's personal factors
determine the process of effects that occur. There are many factors that influence the
communication process, including selective attention, selective perception and selective
retention, motivation and knowledge, beliefs and opinions, values and needs, persuasion,
personality and self-adjustment.
Selective attention is an individual who tends to accept mass media exposure that
matches his interests and opinions. In addition, he avoids messages that are not in
accordance with his opinions and interests. According to Alexis, selective attention has the
following principles; first, individual differences are the result of a person's different
cognitive structures in receiving media messages. We have the ability to be selective only on
messages that attract our attention. Second, social membership in social groups also
influences the choice of which messages we choose. For example, religious, party and ethnic
affiliations. Thus, those who share the same religion tend to pay attention to the same
messages. Thirdly, people are more interested if information can build a relationship image
with others.17
Selective perception is that an individual will consciously seek out media that
encourages his or her inclinations. These tendencies can be opinions, attitudes or beliefs. So,
individuals actively seek information that can strengthen their beliefs. So in this case the
individual himself actively seeks information. Selective retention is a person's tendency to
only remember messages that suit their own opinions and needs.
Empirical research on the effects of mass communication has a relatively short
history. Its history began in the 1730s with the appearance of motion pictures. Until now, the
estimated time span of the mass communication effect has varied. But what is clear is that at
least three effects have been recognized in mass communication since the 1930s, namely,
unlimited effects, followed by limited effects, then moderate effects (a combination of both /
not so limited effects). If the time is detailed as follows; 1930 - 1950 unlimited effects, 1950 -
1970 limited effects, 1970 - 180s moderate effects (not-so limited effects).
Unlimited Effect.
This infinite effect was previously only used to divide the time span of mass
communication effects that were popular in the 30s to 50s. The effect that is used as a topic
of discussion regarding mass communication is that mass media has a large effect when it
hits the audience. This infinite effect is based on the theory or model of a bullet or
hypodermic needle. So mass media is likened to a bullet. If the bullet is fired at the target, the
target will not be able to avoid. This analogy shows that bullets have tremendous power in
trying to "influence" the target.
Limited effect.
In contrast to the dubious origin of "infinite effects", the source of the limited effects
model is well known. Limited effects were originally introduced by Joseph Klaper. He had
written a dissertation on the limited effects of mass media which he published under the title
"The Influence of Mass Media" in 1960. Klaper concluded that mass media have limited
effects based on his research on public campaign cases, political campaigns and experiments
on persuasive message design. In Klaper's view, the results of all this research can be
expressed in one conclusion as follows, "when the media offers content that is reported, it
turns out that only a few can change the views and behavior of the audience".
Moderate Effect.
The last actual opinion about the effects of mass communication is the "moderate
effect". The previous two effects are considered one-sided. Although it is also recognized
that the emergence of the two effects is due to the demands of the times. As times continue
to change and the role of mass communication grows rapidly accompanied by an increase in
public education, the effects of mass communication also change.
In this effect, it is also explained that there are several things that influence the
process of receiving a person's message. For example, selective exposure. Selective exposure
is actually a key symptom that is often associated with the limited effect model. But
evidence in the field is often contradictory. This moderate effect model actually has positive
implications for the development of mass media studies. For communication practitioners, it
will raise new awareness that before a message is broadcast it needs to be planned and
formatted carefully and better. Because after all, messages still have an impact.
The alleged effects of mass communication also vary. But at the very least, there are a
number of reasons behind it;
The types of effects studied have changed.
Lesson methods that have changed.
Altered state. The early history of effects studies tended to look at effects in terms of
attitudes and behaviors.
To cite just one example, early studies of movies sought to find a link between
watching motion pictures and bad behavior in society. Such an effect seems unusual because
it is difficult to prove. Meanwhile, relatively more recent research focuses on cognitive
effects, which are obviously easier for the media to do.21 A rather complete explanation of
the effects of mass media is written by William L Rivers, Jay W Jensen and Thodore
Peterson in his book Mass Media and Modern Society which explains at length about the
various types and forms of message delivery methods, along with methods and techniques in
influencing the audience in each program program.
If we look at the methods used, there is a shift from methods that emphasize funny
stories (using funny stories as the object of effect studies) and case studies to systematic
methods such as surveys and experiments. In fact, surveys often do not strengthen the effect
as often claimed by case studies and funny stories. On the other hand, experimental study
methods have been able to detect effects better and more perfectly. It is not uncommon for
these experimental methods to be carried out by survey methods conducted outside the
laboratory. A study conducted to observe voter behavior during a political campaign can be
used as evidence. The study showed that in the 40s and 50s campaigns had a stronger effect.
Advances in Information and Communication Technology are the demands of
civilization that are adjusted to the times and cannot be avoided. From several sides, the
development of Information and Communication Technology is very decisive, Although
some people, especially those in rural areas and those who are less educated, are unable to
sort out and filter the flow of information and the use of good and correct technology.
The negative influence of the advancement of Information and Communication
Technology in society has caused some teenagers to experience moral decline. These effects
include the fading of the archipelago's culture which is known to be polite with tolerant
attitudes, mutual cooperation and other noble values that have obscured the true values of
eastern culture. Promiscuity among teenagers and school-age children broadcast by
information communication media and others, especially the existence of social media such
as Facebook, Twitter, Blackberry Messenger.
Islam and Socio-Cultural Change and Communication Technology
The effort to connect the word religion with development seems to feel like
something forced, as stated by M. Ja'far Puteh in his book Da'wah in the era of
Globalization. According to him, this is because the connotation of the word religion refers
more to the spiritual dimension, while development is always seen in relation to life with a
material dimension. According to Ridwan Lubis, the dichotomy of textual understanding of
religion and development must be seen as both containing spiritual and material dimensions.
Implementing religious teachings means building and implementing development
means practicing religious teachings. This means that religion and development are
interrelated like two sides of a coin that cannot be separated. The proof is that
programmatically the norms of religious teachings include calls for self-improvement that
require change. Change itself is an element of development. Moreover, if it is associated
with the theory, that the success of the development of the religious sector greatly determines
the development of other sectors.
This is also confirmed by Harun Nasution, who states that each religion contains
dogmas and absolute and absolutely true teachings that make adherents easy to be dogmatic,
fanatical, narrow-minded and narrow-minded. Because of this, they always challenge
changes and reforms that at birth contradict the history they profess. This has been true in the
history of religious communities, from ancient times to the present.
Habib Ghuzairin as quoted by Dr. Saleh Muntasir suggests that in the context of
religious change functions as; 1. providing guidance and laying the foundation of faith. 2.
giving the spirit and value of worship that permeates all human life activities in relation to
God, relationships between humans and relationships with the universe which are covered in
social dimensions, and cosmological dimensions. 3. providing inspiration, motivation and
stimulation so that all human potential is maximally activated. 4. integrating human activities
into a unified whole.
In a more general conceptual level regarding the anticipation of value changes played
by institutions, Nurcholis Madjid illustrates that indeed social change is inevitable. However,
the problem for Nurcholis Madjid is whether we will let social change occur due to historical
pressure and pressure (accidental), or we welcome it with appropriate preparations, then
participate in directing it consciously (deleberanted). Since the former is uncontrollable, and
may lead to social disasters, the latter must be chosen.29 We must prepare ourselves for the
change, and direct it.
Islam, for us, is a belief. For the United States nation empirically, or in reality, Islam
is the religion of the largest part of the people. Because of this, the attitudes published or
thought to be published by Islam, will have a huge influence on the process of social change.
For social change, the role of Islam will be manifested in two ways attitude: to support or
hinder. This depends on the followers. In order to sustain, accompany and even carry out and
direct social change ourselves, we must be able to break away from attitudes that are not
conducive to development and modernization, generated by environmental moulds.30
Conclusion
In this final section, the author cites the views of A. Mappadjantji Amien in his book
Local Self-Reliance Conceptions of Development, Organization, and Education from a New
Science Perspective, which states that science-based concepts concerning development have
evolved towards a more comprehensive format as an accumulation of answers to conceptual
and factual challenges, such as eco-development (environmental development) and human-
oriented development manifested in the form of basic needs development and ethno-
development.
Socio-cultural changes in society as a result of advances in communication technology
and information media in every era cannot be avoided. The existence and ability of the
community to make the best use of technology is a wise alternative, utilizing it as a means
and media in improving the quality of knowledge is a solution that should be pursued by all
circles.
Thus, cultural wisdom with all its values will be maintained and preserved. Because the
effects of media advances and communication technology in relation to social change do not
necessarily have to change the social structure. Likewise with the side of religious life and
relationships / interactions between people. It is precisely with the advancement of
Communication Technology that social and cultural life should be increasingly
