PEMAHAMAN SELF IMPROVMENT DI KALANGAN REMAJA PUTRI PEKERJA DI KOTA MALANG

This research examines the process of understanding the concept of self-improvement among young working women aged 15-25 years with high school education status in Malang City from a communication science perspective. The phenomenon of self-improvement has become a dominant discourse in contemporary society, but its understanding and implementation among young working women with a secondary education background has not yet been widely explored. This research uses a qualitative approach with a social constructivism paradigm and a descriptive case study method. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with five young working female informants, then analyzed using Effendy's (2015) social reality construction theoretical framework which includes the processes of externalization, objectivation and internalization. The research results show that understanding self-improvement among young working women takes place through a complex dialectical process. At the externalization stage, informants used social media, especially Instagram, as the main platform to express their achievements and self-development processes with variations in patterns based on personality characteristics and professional context.The process of objectivation occurs through social legitimization of certain standards of self-development, adoption of public figures as role models, and acceptance of trends that are considered mandatory. Internalization shows the selective and adaptive adoption of values and practices, where informants modify concepts according to their personal and professional context. The dialectic of these three processes creates an understanding of self-improvement that is pragmatic and oriented towards increasing economic and social capacity. This research contributes to the development of communication studies in understanding the construction of the meaning of self-development in specific social groups, as well as providing recommendations for developing contextual empowerment programs for young working women.