PENGARUH INTENSITAS PENGGUNAAN WHATSAPP TERHADAP FREKUENSI INTERAKSI SOSIAL TATAP MUKA REMAJA MASJID (Studi Pada Remaja Masjid Al-Huda Desa Sendang Kabupaten Tulungagung)

This study aims to determine the effect of the intensity of the use of the WhatsApp application on the frequency of face-to-face social interaction of adolescents at the Al-Huda Mosque in Sendang Village, Tulungagung Regency. The background of this research departs from the rapid development of communication technology that affects the pattern of social interaction of the community, especially among mosque youth who use digital media as a means of communication and coordination of religious activities.

The research method used is a quantitative approach with correlational statistical analysis techniques to measure the relationship between the variable of the intensity of WhatsApp use and the frequency of face-to-face social interaction. Based on the calculation results, a correlation coefficient value of 0.812 was obtained, which shows that the relationship between the two is at a strong level. Meanwhile, the amount of influence of the intensity of WhatsApp use on the frequency of face-to-face social interaction of mosque teenagers is 81.2%, while the remaining 18.8% is influenced by other factors such as the learning environment, family, and the internal and external conditions of individuals.

The results of the study show that WhatsApp more specifically, the WhatsApp group plays an important role as a medium of communication and the dissemination of religious information among the youth of the Al-Huda Mosque. This application is used to coordinate activities, share Islamic materials, and strengthen social relationships outside the mosque environment. Nevertheless, activities inside the mosque continue to run directly without much digital media involvement. Thus, it can be concluded that the intensity of WhatsApp use contributes positively to the increase of face-to-face social interaction among mosque teenagers and is a dominant factor in the formation of their face-to-face social relationships.