Dampak Konsumsi Short-Form Content terhadap Perkembangan Minat dan Ketahanan Membaca Anak Generasi Alpha

Abstract

This study aims to examine how the consumption of short-form content affects the reading interest and endurance of Generation Alpha children using a psychopedagogical approach that combines cognitive and behavioral perspectives. This approach integrates Piaget's cognitive development theory, Bandura's social learning theory, and Mischel's concept of delay of gratification. The research was conducted using a qualitative method through a single case study design, involving an 8-year-old girl in the second grade of elementary school. Data were collected through naturalistic observation for six weeks and semi-structured interviews in the third and sixth weeks with the subject and her parents. The collected data were then analyzed using thematic analysis to find patterns of reading behavior and the influence of exposure to short-form content. The results of the study show that consumption of short-form content has the potential to reduce interest in reading through a process of observational learning that shifts children's preferences towards information that is faster, more interesting, and easier to understand. Reading endurance also appears to weaken, which is related to a decrease in the ability to delay gratification and the adaptation of the attention system to fast-moving stimuli. This study concludes that these changes are a form of cognitive adaptation to the digital environment, not merely a matter of motivation. Therefore, targeted psychopedagogical interventions are needed, such as gradual reading endurance training, strengthening self-regulation skills through mindfulness techniques, and educational approaches to control the consumption of short-form content. These findings contribute to the understanding of the psychological mechanisms that influence literacy development in the digital age and offer practical implications for the development of more adaptive literacy strategies.