MEDIA REALISM PERCEPTION AS A MEDIATOR OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSTAGRAM CONTENT EXPOSURE AND THE NORMALIZATION OF OUT-OF-WEDLOCK PREGNANCY
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2026-08-28Downloads
Abstract
This study is motivated by the phenomenon of continuous exposure to social media content on Instagram, which has become a major force in shaping public perceptions and social norms. Through personalized algorithms and the concept of media realism perception, many users express support for influencers by posting positive comments, liking, reposting, and engaging with content related to premarital pregnancy. This phenomenon became increasingly evident following the viral case involving Erika Carlina, which sparked widespread public debate across digital platforms. This study aims to examine the mediating role of media realism perception in the relationship between Instagram content exposure and the normalization of premarital pregnancy. The study employed a quantitative explanatory approach using a cross-sectional research design. A total of 400 followers of the Instagram account @eri.carl were selected using purposive and convenience sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and path analysis with JASP and SPSS version 24. The findings indicate that all proposed hypotheses were supported. Instagram content exposure had a positive and significant effect on the normalization of premarital pregnancy (β = 0.7876) and on media realism perception (β = 0.7605). Media realism perception also had a significant effect and was found to partially mediate the relationship between Instagram content exposure and the normalization of premarital pregnancy. The proposed model explained 68.90% of the variance in the normalization of premarital pregnancy. In the Indonesian context, where religious values and conservative cultural norms remain deeply rooted, media realism perception plays a crucial role by fostering the belief that premarital pregnancy is a realistic and plausible social phenomenon. Over time, this process blurs the boundary between media representations and social reality, thereby contributing to a gradual and subtle shift in societal norms.
Keywords:
Normalization of Premarital Pregnancy Instagram Content Exposure Media Realism PerceptionReferences
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