Educational Level, Socioeconomic Status, and Interpersonal Communication Competence in Response to Digital Deceptive Messages
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15408/insaniyat.v10i2.46495Abstract
This study investigates the correlation between educational level and socioeconomic status in determining individuals' interpersonal communication competence when responding to digital deceptive messages. Utilizing a descriptive quantitative research design, the authors developed a 15-item Likert-scale questionnaire based on authentic fraudulent messages obtained from police investigators in Tanjungpinang and Bintan, Indonesia. Data collected from 120 participants underwent rigorous validity, reliability, and normality testing before being analyzed via multiple regression. The findings reveal that while educational level and socioeconomic status collectively show a significant positive correlation with communication competence, socioeconomic status alone provides a negligible contribution. Specifically, the regression model suggests that higher education levels significantly enhance one’s ability to navigate digital interactions safely, whereas employment status does not significantly alter this competence due to universal smartphone access. This research contributes a predictive framework for identifying cybercrime vulnerability, highlighting that educational background is a more critical factor than wealth or job status in developing the interpersonal metafunctions necessary to detect speech intentions and avoid digital traps.
References
Abu-Shanab, E., & Al-Tarawneh, H. (2015). The influence of social networks on high school students’ performance. International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 10(2), 49–59. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJWLTT.2015040104
Askurny, N. R., & Syihabuddin. (2022). Students’ Linguistic Knowledge in Comprehending Defamation Text. Ethical Lingua: Journal of Language Teaching and Literature, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.30605/25409190.XXX
Askurny, N. R., Syihabuddin, & Sudana, D. (2023). Critical Discourse Analysis through Systemic Functional Linguistics of SMS (Short Message Service) Phishing. Insaniyat, Journal of Islam and Humanities, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.15408/insaniyat.v8i1.33584.
Bouchillon, B. C. (2022). Social Networking for Interpersonal Life: A Competence-Based Approach to the Rich Get Richer Hypothesis. Social Science Computer Review, 40(2), 309–327. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439320909506
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research, Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (Fourth Edition). Pearson.
Crystal, D. (2006). Language and Internet, Second Edition, “Engaging & Provocative’’ Nature” (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
DeLiema, M., Li, Y., & Mottola, G. (2022). Correlates of Responding to and Becoming Victimized by Fraud: Examining Risk Factors by Scam Type. International Journal of Consumer Studies. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12886
Dewanti, P., & Indriyani, I. (2022). Truecaller’s Spam Call and SMS Blocking Solution for Surveillance on Social Media. Jurnal Mekintek, 13(1), 19–29. www.ejournal.isha.or.id/index.php/Mekintek
Emilia, E., & Martin, J. R. (2023). “Learning functional grammar is fun”: A snapshot of functional grammar unit at an English Education Department in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13(1), 48–62. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v13i1.58256
Ezeugo, T. J., & Ajemba, O. A. (2020). Social media and interpersonal relationships among the employed and the undergraduates of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Preorcjah, Journal of Arts and Humanities (Special Edition), 5(1 (Special Edition)), 403–430. https://ezenwaohaetorc.org403
Goldfarb, A., & Tucker, C. (2019). Digital economics. Journal of Economic Literature, 57(1), 3–43. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.20171452
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2014). Multivariate data analysis. Pearson Education Limited.
Hanoch, Y., & Wood, S. (2021). The Scams Among Us: Who Falls Prey and Why. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 30(3), 260–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721421995489
Hua, T. K., Abdollahi-Guilani, M., & Zi, C. C. (2017). Linguistic deception of Chinese cyber fraudsters. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature, 23(3), 108–122. https://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2017-2303-08
Ismailova, A., Naubayeva, K., Zheldibayeva, R., & Kontrimienė, S. (2025). Self-esteem, social comparison, and interpersonal communication competence as predictors of students’ psychological well-being. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1679209
Kaufmann, K., & Peil, C. (2020). The mobile instant messaging interview (MIMI): Using WhatsApp to enhance self-reporting and explore media usage in situ. Mobile Media and Communication, 8(2), 229–246. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050157919852392
Levano-Francia, L., Sanchez Diaz, S., Guillén-Aparicio, P., Tello-Cabello, S., Herrera-Paico, N., & Collantes-Inga, Z. (2019). Competencias digitales y educación. Propósitos y Representaciones, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.20511/pyr2019.v7n2.329
Liu, M., Zhang, Y., Liu, B., Li, Z., & Duan, H. (2021, March 31). Detecting and Characterizing SMS Spearphishing Attacks. Annual Computer Security Application Conference. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1145/3485832.3488012
Masyita Suherman, M., Alawiyah, T., & Nuranisa Zakiah, L. (2025). Transformation of Student Interpersonal Communication Through Digital Media in Higher Education. G-Couns: Jurnal Bimbingan Dan Konseling, 10(01), 487–499. https://doi.org/10.31316/g-couns.v10i01.8343
Olajimbiti, E. O. (2018). Discourse Pattern, Contexts and Pragmatic Strategies of Selected Fraud Spam. Crossroads. A Journal of English Studies, (21(2)), 53–63. https://doi.org/10.15290/cr.2018.21.2.05
Pace, A., Luo, R., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2017). Identifying pathways between socioeconomic status and language development. Annual Review of Linguistics, 3, 285–308. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-linguistics-011516-034226
Permatasari, D., Khumayah, S., & Nurfalah, F. (2026). Interpersonal Communication and Long-Distance Relationships: A Narrative Study of Romantic Relationships Among Students Participating in Community Service Program in the Village of Ciledug Kulon. Eduvest-Journal of Universal Studies, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.59188/eduvest.v6i3.52994
Plonsky, L., & Ghanbar, H. (2018). Multiple Regression in L2 Research: A Methodological Synthesis and Guide to Interpreting R2 Values. Modern Language Journal, 102(4), 713–731. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12509
Polanco-Levicán, K., & Salvo-Garrido, S. (2022). Understanding Social Media Literacy: A Systematic Review of the Concept and Its Competences. In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Vol. 19, Number 14). MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148807
Rifki, Y., & Usman, F. (2021). Transitivity Analysis in Detecting Fraudulent Language in Email: Forensic Linguistics Approach. Transitivity Analysis in Detecting Fraudulent Language in Email: Forensic Linguistic Approach. IJOTL-TL, 6(1), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.30957/ijotl-tl.v6i1.648
Safieddine, F., & Nakhoul, I. (2021). Mobile Instant Messaging (M.I.M.) in Improving S.M.E. in Manufacturing: Case Study. Wireless Personal Communications, 119(2), 1799–1815. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-021-08307-4
Shuy, R. (2016). The Language of Fraud Cases. Oxford University Press.
Smith, R., Snow, P., Serry, T., & Hammond, L. (2021). The Role of Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehension: A Critical Review. Reading Psychology, 42(3), 214–240. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2021.1888348
Spencer, S., Clegg, J., Stackhouse, J., & Rush, R. (2017). Contribution of spoken language and socio-economic background to adolescents’ educational achievement at age 16 years. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 52(2), 184–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12264
Supriya, R., Tomar, K. P., Sigh, K., Bhardwaj, M. M., & Tyagi, S. M. (2022). Cyber Crimes in India: A Critical AnalysiS. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 7(6), 221–229.
Tinh, D. T., Thuy, N. T., & Huy, D. T. N. (2021). Doing Business Research and Teaching Methodology for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctoral Students - Case in Various Markets Including Vietnam. İlköğretim Online, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.17051/ilkonline.2021.01.148
Venter, E. (2019). Challenges for meaningful interpersonal communication in a digital era. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 75(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i1.5339
Whittaker, R., McRobbie, H., Bullen, C., Rodgers, A., Gu, Y., & Dobson, R. (2019). Mobile phone text messaging and app-based interventions for smoking cessation. In Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Vol. 2019, Number 10). John Wiley and Sons Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006611.pub5
Xu, S., Yang, H. H., MacLeod, J., & Zhu, S. (2019). Interpersonal communication competence and digital citizenship among pre-service teachers in China’s teacher preparation programs. Journal of Moral Education, 48(2), 179–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240.2018.1458605
Yanto, E. S., & Pravitasari, H. (2023). The Realization Of Interpersonal Meaning Of Spoken Texts in an Efl International Textbook: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Perspective. Wiralodra English Journal, 7(1), 76–88. https://doi.org/10.31943/wej.v7i1.190
Ye, H., & Chen, K. (2022). A study on the discourse strategy of telecommunication fraud based on proximization theory. Discourse and Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/17504813221129517
Zaharon, N. F. M., & Ali, M. M. (2021). Phishing as Cyber Fraud: The Implications and Governance. Journal of Social Sciences 香港社會科學學報 第一的第, 57, 2021. http://hkjoss.com/index.php/journal/article/view/432
Zhang, Y., Wu, Y., Chen, Y., & Zhang, H. (2025). The impact of English usage on social media on college students’
interpersonal communication intentions: a dual mediating model of language confidence and English cultural identity. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1692474
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nana Raihana Askurny, Dewi Kusrini
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
