Analysis of The Relationship Between The Role of Local Culture and Digital Media in Shaping Environmentally Conscious Character
), Ernawati Ernawati(2), Amiruddin Ahmad Malindo(3), Dwi Tika Afriani(4), Nur Jannah(5)
| 
Country:
(1) Department of Biology Education, Universitas Labuhanbatu, Indonesia
(2) Department of Biology Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kupang, Indonesia
(3) School of Education, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
(4) Department of Aquaculture, Universitas Dharmawangsa, Indonesia
(5) Department of Biology Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kupang, Indonesia
Corresponding Author
10.23960/jpmipa.v26i3.pp1565-1579
| Metrics→ |
| Indexing Site→ |  |
 |
 |
 |
Copyright (c) 2025 Ika Chastanti, Ernawati Ernawati, Dwi Tika Afriani, Nur Jannah
The global environmental crisis demands urgent strategies to cultivate environmental awareness, particularly among youth. This study aims to analyse and compare the influence of local culture and digital media on fostering environmentally conscious character among university students in Indonesia. An ex post facto design with multivariate correlation was employed. The sample included 228 biology education students from three universities in Indonesia who had completed the Environmental Knowledge course. Data were collected via an online questionnaire consisting of 15 Likert-scale items and five open-ended questions. Expert judgment was used to validate the instrument, and reliability scores for all constructs exceeded α = 0.78. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression were used for quantitative analysis, supported by qualitative coding of open responses. A statistically non-significant and weak correlation was found between local culture and environmental character (r = 0.185; p = 0.323). Strikingly, only 2% of respondents demonstrated awareness of local environmental cultural values, highlighting an alarming disconnect between youth and traditional ecological wisdom. Meanwhile, digital media showed a statistically significant but practically weak relationship (r = 0.150; t = 2.27; p = 0.024). This statistical significance may be attributed to the large sample size and should not be interpreted as a strong practical effect. Students frequently cited digital platforms such as TikTok and Instagram as sources of ecological content. While digital media offers an accessible entry point for environmental messaging, its real-world impact is limited. Conversely, local culture holds deep contextual potential that is currently underutilized. A key limitation of this study is its specific sample of biology education students who likely possess higher baseline environmental knowledge, potentially skewing results. Future studies should include more diverse academic disciplines to improve generalizability. These findings underscore the urgency of integrating cultural ecological values into youth education via engaging digital formats.
Keywords: digital media, environmentally conscious character, local culture.
Abdelazim, T., Alfraidi, Y., Tueaiman, A., Alhamli, F., Elhassan, A., & Nassr, A. (2025). Local people’s participation in Jubbah Heritage Site conservation: Extending the motivation, opportunity, and ability (MOA) theory. Npj Heritage Science, 13(1), 7–18. https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-025-01554-9
Alhinai, M. (2025). Decolonizing environmental education: celebrating epistemological diversity through integrating traditional ecological knowledge and scientific knowledge in Oman. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 59(2), 234-252. https://doi.org/10.1093/jopedu/qhaf004
Asrawijaya, E. (2024). Traditional ecological wisdom for the resilience of indigenous peoples in Indonesia. Besari: Journal of Social and Cultural Studies, 1(2),87-100. https://doi.org/10.71155/besari.v1i2.29
Aura, S., Supiandi, C., & Nugraha, D. (2023). The influence of character education based on local wisdom on students’ social and environmental behavior. Social Impact Journal, 2(2), 102-114. https://doi.org/10.61391/sij.v2i2.46
Berkes, F. (2018). Sacred Ecology (4th ed.). Routledge taylor and francis group. https://www.routledge.com/Sacred-Ecology/Berkes/p/book/9781138071490
Billet, M. I., Baimel, A., Milfont, T. L., & Norenzayan, A. (2024). Political common ground on preserving nature: environmental motives across the political spectrum. Environment and Behavior, 56(7–8), 542–576. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139165241303315
Blatt, E. (2013). Exploring environmental identity and behavioral change in an Environmental Science course. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 8(2).134-146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-012-9459-2
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Corrias, L. D. A. (2023). Environmental law and youth protests: future generations between speech acts and political representation. International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue Internationale de Sémiotique Juridique, 36(2), 893–906. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11196-022-09907-4
Dwivedi, Y. K., Ismagilova, E., Hughes, D. L., Carlson, J., Filieri, R., Jacobson, J., Jain, V., Karjaluoto, H., Kefi, H., Krishen, A. S., Kumar, V., Rahman, M. M., Raman, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., Rowley, J., Salo, J., Tran, G. A., & Wang, Y. (2021). Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research propositions. International Journal of Information Management, 59 (1).78-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102168
Ens, E. J., Pert, P., & Clarke, P. A. (2015). Indigenous biocultural knowledge in ecosystem science and management: Review and insight from Australia. Biological Conservation, 181(2), 133–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.008
Gallego-Álvarez, I., & Rodriguez-Dominguez, L. (2025). Board of directors and environmental practices: The effect of board experience, culture, and tenure. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27(1), 1643–1668. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03937-z
Hao, Y., Yasin, M. A. I., & Sim, N. B. (2024). A study on the influence of media use on college students’ environmental protection behaviors. Management of Environmental Quality An International Journal, 34(1), 154. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-05-2022-0149
Huy, P. Q., & Phuc, V. K. (2025). Insight into how social media platforms in building relational social commerce capability for green entrepreneurial innovation. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 58-69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00471-4
IPCC. (2023). Climate Change 2022 – Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability: working group ii contribution to the sixth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844
Junia, I. L. R. (2023). Mengenal hukum adat awig-awig di dalam desa adat bali. Jurnal Hukum dan HAM Wara Sains, 2(9), 213-225. https://doi.org/10.58812/jhhws.v2i09.636
Karantalis, N., & Koukopoulos, D. (2024). The role of cultural heritage and digital media in the inclusive education of refugee students. SN Social Sciences, 4(11), 214-227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-024-01012-6
Khan, O., Varaksina, N., & Hinterhuber, A. (2024). The influence of cultural differences on consumers’ willingness to pay more for sustainable fashion. Journal of Cleaner Production, 442, 141-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141024
Kollmuss, A., & Agyeman, J. (2020). Mind the Gap: Why do people act environmentally and what are the barriers to pro-environmental behavior? Environmental Education Research, 8(3), 239–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504620220145401
Kristofferson, K., White, K., & Peloza, J. (2014). The nature of slacktivism: how the social observability of an initial act of token support affects subsequent prosocial action. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(6), 1149–1166. https://doi.org/10.1086/674137
Li, K. (2023). Role of digital economic development in environmental transition of renewable energy sector of China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(57), 119825–119837. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-30582-w
Li, P., & Noor, S. M. (2022). A study on the influence of social media on college students’ pro-environmental behavior. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 102(1), 102-118. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2022.99.5
Liao, C.H. (2024). Exploring social media determinants in fostering pro-environmental behavior: Insights from social impact theory and the theory of planned behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 123–135. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1445549
Listiani, W., Ahimsa-Putra, H. S., LonoLastoroSimatupang, G. R., & Piliang, Y. A. P. A. (2013). Regenerative-Relational tritangtu: Sundanese triadic transformation model. Panggung, 23(2), 93-111.https://doi.org/10.26742/panggung.v23i2.91
Loretan, K. (2023). The changing world of digital in 2023. We Are Social Indonesia. https://wearesocial.com/id/blog/2023/01/the-changing-world-of-digital-in-2023-2/
Luque-Alcaraz, O. M., Aparicio-Martínez, P., Gomera, A., & Vaquero-Abellán, M. (2024). The environmental awareness of nurses as environmentally sustainable health care leaders: A mixed-method analysis. BMC Nursing, 23(1), 229–245. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01895-z
Martell, J. E. M., & Rodewald, A. D. (2024). Promoting conservation behaviors by leveraging optimistic and pessimistic messages and emotions. Society & Natural Resources, 37(4), 564–585. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2023.2294847
Nagy, S., & Molnárné, C. K. (2018). The effects of hofstede’s cultural dimensions on pro-environmental behaviour: how culture influences environmentally conscious behaviour. Theory, Methodology, Practice – Review of Business and Management, 14(01), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.18096/TMP.2018.01.03
Priyanka, R., Ravindran, K., Sankaranarayanan, B., Karuppiah, K., & Jaganathan, P. (2025). A TISM decision modeling framework for identifying key elements of organizational culture in start-up companies: implications for sustainable development. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 16(1), 556–580. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-025-02729-2
Rakuasa, H. (2022). Mapping the local wisdom of sasi laut culture in nuwewang village, maluku province. Geographica: Science and Education Journal, 4(2), 76-90. https://doi.org/10.31327/gsej.v4i2.1850
Reimer, T. (2023). Environmental factors to maximize social media engagement: A comprehensive framework. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 75, 103–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103458
Rezaei, A., Ahmadi, S., & Karimi, H. (2021). The role of online social networks in university students’ environmentally responsible behavior. Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 43(2), 312–325. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2020-0168
Saari, U. A., Damberg, S., Frömbling, L., & Ringle, C. M. (2021). Sustainable consumption behavior of Europeans: The influence of environmental knowledge and risk perception on environmental concern and behavioral intention. Ecological Economics, 189, 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107155
Simanungkalit, I. P., Hadining, A. F., & Kusnadi, K. (2021). Faktor yang memengaruhi perilaku peduli lingkungan: pengembangan model menggunakan theory of planned behavior dan norm activation model. IJEEM - Indonesian Journal of Environmental Education and Management, 6(2), 96-116. https://doi.org/10.21009/IJEEM.062.06
Stern, P. C., Wolske, K. S., & Dietz, T. (2021). Design principles for climate change decisions. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 52, 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2021.05.002
Tamar, M., Wirawan, H., Arfah, T., & Pratiwi Sutopo Putri, R. (2020). Predicting pro-environmental behaviours: The role of environmental values, attitudes and knowledge. Https://Www.Emerald.Com/Insight/Publication/Issn/1477-7835. https://repository.unhas.ac.id/id/eprint/4757/
Tian, H., & Liu, X. (2022). Pro-Environmental behavior research: theoretical progress and future directions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(11), 345–458. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116721
Truc, L. T. (2024). Greening the future: How social networks and media shapes youth’s eco-friendly purchases. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 10(4), 114-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2024.100410
Villamil, A., & King, S. (2024). A humane social learning-informed metaverse: cultivating positive technology experiences in digital learning environments. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 27(1), 47–56. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2023.0001
Whitmarsh, L., & O’Neill, S. (2010). Green identity, green living? The role of pro-environmental self-identity in determining consistency across diverse pro-environmental behaviours. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(3), 305–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.01.003
Whyte, K. P. (2013). On the role of traditional ecological knowledge as a collaborative concept: A philosophical study. Ecological Processes, 2(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1186/2192-1709-2-7
Williams, H. T. P., McMurray, J. R., Kurz, T., & Hugo Lambert, F. (2015). Network analysis reveals open forums and echo chambers in social media discussions of climate change. Global Environmental Change, 32, 126–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.03.006
WMO, W. M. (2024). State of the global climate 2023. https://library.wmo.int/records/item/68835-state-of-the-global-climate-2023
Wu, X., Jia, W., & Wu, T. (2025). Mechanism by which environmental education influences pro-environmental behavior in Wuyishan National Park, China. Sustainability, 17(1), 18-35.. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010043
Xiao, F., Xu, M., Wu, J., Meng, C., & Hong, Y. (2023). Impact of online live broadcasts on environmental destructive behavioral intention. PLOS ONE, 18(6), 301-316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286967
You, C. (2024). Who speaks for nature? genre, gender, and the eco-translation of chinese wild animals. Children’s Literature in Education, 55(2), 179–197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-022-09484-x
Zhang, W., Zhang, F., & Cheng, Z. (2025). Green entrepreneurial orientation and green human capital: Unlocking the potential of green supply chain integration through corporate environmental strategy. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 655–669. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04980-z
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.