PERANAN KOMUNIKASI ANTARPRIBADI DALAM ADAPTASI BUDAYA PADA MAHASISWA OUTBOUND PERTUKARAN MAHASISWA MERDEKA 4 UNIVERSITAS SAM RATULANGI

Abstract

The Merdeka Student Exchange Program (PMM) is a program that provides students with the opportunity to study at universities that have different cultural characteristics, social customs, and communication patterns from their home environment. These cultural differences require students to be able to adapt so that they can interact effectively, build harmonious social relationships, and adjust to their new environment, both inside and outside of academic activities. This study aims to determine the role of interpersonal communication in the cultural adaptation process of outbound students in the Merdeka Student Exchange Program 4 at Sam Ratulangi University. This study uses a quantitative approach with a descriptive method to describe the phenomenon being studied systematically and objectively. Data collection techniques were carried out by distributing questionnaires to 47 respondents determined by simple random sampling. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics through frequency and percentage calculations to identify trends in respondents' answers. The findings of this study indicate that interpersonal communication plays an important role in helping students understand cultural differences, reduce culture shock, and build social relationships that support the adaptation process in the target campus environment. The Social Penetration Theory, which states that students tend to continue interpersonal relationships when the benefits gained, such as social support and comfort, are greater than the disadvantages felt during the cultural adaptation process, can also be reinforced by the results of this study.