KONSTRUKSI PENGENDALIAN DIRI MAHASISWA PERANTAU TERHADAP PERILAKU PERGAULAN BEBAS DALAM PERSPEKTIF TEORI OPERANT CONDITIONING SKINNER

Abstrak

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami realitas pergaulan bebas di kalangan mahasiswa perantau angkatan 2022 Program Studi Sosiologi Universitas Nusa Cendana serta mengkaji mekanisme self control yang mereka lakukan dalam menghadapi tekanan sosial di lingkungan perantauan. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus, dengan teknik pengumpulan data melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam, studi literatur, dan dokumentasi terhadap sembilan informan yang dipilih secara purposive. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pergaulan bebas mahasiswa perantau ditandai oleh aktivitas nongkrong hingga larut malam, konsumsi minuman beralkohol, gaya hidup hedonistik, serta hubungan sosial yang cenderung bebas. Dalam menghadapi kondisi tersebut, mahasiswa menunjukkan bentuk self control yang beragam, seperti kemampuan menolak ajakan negatif, selektivitas dalam memilih lingkungan pertemanan, serta adaptasi melalui pengalaman. Self control yang dimiliki bersifat dinamis dan dipengaruhi oleh faktor internal berupa kesadaran diri dan nilai keluarga, serta faktor eksternal seperti lingkungan pertemanan, tempat tinggal, media sosial, dan budaya perkotaan. Dalam perspektif teori operant conditioning Skinner, pengendalian diri terbentuk melalui proses pembelajaran yang melibatkan penguatan dan konsekuensi perilaku. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa kemampuan self control mahasiswa perantau sangat ditentukan oleh interaksi antara nilai internal dan pengalaman sosial yang mereka alami selama proses perantauan.

This study aims to understand the reality of free association among migrant students of the 2022 cohort in the Sociology Study Program at Nusa Cendana University and to examine the self-control mechanisms they employ in facing social pressures in a migrant environment. This research adopts a qualitative approach using a case study method, with data collected through observation, in-depth interviews, literature review, and documentation involving nine purposively selected informants. The findings reveal that free association among migrant students is characterized by activities such as late-night socializing, alcohol consumption, hedonistic lifestyles, and relatively unrestricted romantic relationships. In dealing with these conditions, students demonstrate varying levels of self-control, including the ability to refuse negative influences, selectivity in choosing peer groups, and adaptive behavior shaped by experience. Self-control is found to be dynamic and influenced by internal factors such as self-awareness and family values, as well as external factors including peer environment, living conditions, social media, and urban culture. From the perspective of Skinner’s operant conditioning theory, self-control is formed through learning processes involving reinforcement and behavioral consequences. This study concludes that the level of self-control among migrant students is determined by the interaction between internal values and social experiences encountered during their migration process.