Social Media Exposure and its Implication for Humanities and Social Sciences Students' Historical Thinking and Political-Civic Understanding: Springboard For Infographics Development

Social media has become one of the most influential sources of information among students today, shaping how they access, interpret, and engage with historical and political content. As digital platforms increasingly function as channels for news, opinions, and historical narratives, it is essential to examine their influence on learners’ analytical and civic competencies. In this context, the study investigated the extent of social media exposure and its relationship to the historical thinking skills and political-civic understanding of Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) students. A quantitative correlational research design was employed, involving Grade 12 HUMSS students from four selected secondary schools in Isulan. Data were gathered using a structured survey questionnaire measuring respondents’ social media exposure, historical thinking skills, and political-civic understanding. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that HUMSS students had a moderate level of social media exposure, with variations in platform usage, content engagement, and frequency of access. In terms of historical thinking, respondents demonstrated a high level of competence, particularly in source evaluation, interpretation of historical information, and contextual understanding. Likewise, political-civic understanding was found to be high, reflecting strong awareness of democratic processes, civic responsibilities, and political knowledge. Furthermore, the results indicated statistically significant positive relationships between social media exposure and both historical thinking skills and political-civic understanding. These findings suggest that increased exposure to digital content may contribute to enhanced cognitive engagement in historical and civic domains when guided critically. Based on these results, the study recommends the implementation of structured media literacy programs, integration of critical digital activities in social studies instruction, and the development of interactive civic education strategies to strengthen students’ engagement with historical and political information.