Social media exposure and its correlation with the political perspectives of the students in Divine Word College of San Jose

International Journal of Research Studies in Management
Divine Word College of San Jose Special Issue
2026 Volume 14 Issue 2

Available Online: 2 April 2026

Author/s:

Peñaflorida, Mikaela Rhianne S.*
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (rhianna120307@gmail.com)

Torreliza, Nicole Andrei C.
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (nicoleandreeei2007@gmail.com)

Simon, Eldritz Grant B.
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (eldritzsimon@gmail.com)

Magallanes, Kyla M.
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (kylamagallanes99@gmail.com)

Balmes, Arjon Angel D.
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (Arjonangelb@gmail.com)

Valdez, Erna Joy T.
Divine Word College of San Jose, Philippines (ejtvaldez1996@gmail.com)

Abstract:

The emergence of social media has significantly influenced how youth participate in and engage with discussions of societal and political issues. Thus, it is crucial to develop information-media literacy and digital citizenship guidelines to promote safe and healthy political engagement and participation in the digital space. In this study, the impact of social media on the younger generation’s political awareness, participation, and civic involvement was carefully assessed and analyzed. Using a descriptive-correlational design, 200 randomly selected senior high school respondents, aged 16-18 years old, were asked to answer the 30-item self-constructed questionnaire. The data were analyzed using weighted mean and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The results revealed that the students spent more time on social media and were exposed to different types of content, which led them to become more aware of political issues. The students’ political awareness and exposure to social media did not significantly differ with respect to their age, sex, and grade level. Students from the STEM strand made up the largest group and showed varying levels of exposure to social media. Moreover, the results affirmed the ideas propounded in the digital natives and participatory politics theory regarding social media not only as a source of information but also as a space for identity formation, civic expression, and political engagement of the younger generation. This study recommends that schools promote media and political literacy programs that address the effects of social media exposure on students’ political perspectives, taking into account differences in student profiles and online behavior.

Keywords: social media exposure, political perspectives, civic involvement, youth participation, senior high school

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2026.26023

Cite this article:
Peñaflorida, M. R. S., Torreliza, N. A. C., Simon, E. G. B., Magallanes, K. M., Balmes, A. A. D., & Valdez, E. J. T. (2026). Social media exposure and its correlation with the political perspectives of the students in Divine Word College of San Jose. International Journal of Research Studies in Management, 14(2), 139-147. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsm.2026.26023

* Corresponding Author