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August 30, 2026Cogent Social SciencesOpen Access

Digital media practices, intercultural anxiety, and cultural identity work among Malaysian and Indonesian undergraduates in cross-border education

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Authors

AWAstri WulandariCNCatur NugrohoRWRoro Retno Wulan

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Overview

Qualitative study reveals host-oriented digital media reduces intercultural anxiety among cross-border undergraduates, highlighting social platforms as vital infrastructure for cultural adaptation.

Key Points

  • To investigate how Malaysian and Indonesian undergraduates use digital media to manage intercultural anxiety and negotiate their cultural identities in cross-border educational environments.
  • Qualitative phenomenological design using semi-structured interviews, observations, and digital interaction materials.
  • Sample included N=13 undergraduate students (Malaysian students in Indonesia and Indonesian students in Malaysia).
  • Analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis grounded in Anxiety and Uncertainty Management Theory and Communication Theory of Identity.
  • Host-oriented digital participation—such as campus WhatsApp groups and local online communities—reduced uncertainty and facilitated sociocultural integration.
  • Heavy reliance on home-country digital networks prolonged intercultural uncertainty and reduced direct engagement with host communities.
  • Participants actively negotiated multilayered identities across online and offline contexts using code-switching, humor, and selective self-presentation.

Cite This Study

Wulandari et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93f0b06c1a8fb52e79d0cdhttps://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2026.2717796
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