EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA USES ON SOCIAL INTERACTIONS OF

GRADE 7 STUDENTS IN LICEO DE SAN PABLO DURING

COVID-19 PANDEMIC FORMATION

YEAR 2021-2022

A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of Academics of The

Grade 10 Department

Liceo de San Pablo

San Pablo City

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for Science Research 1 By:

Matanguihan, Marco Antonio M.

Perez, Carmelo P. Quinto,

Cyril Jeff L. Javier, Milky

Wae C.

Latayan, Nicole Jean F.

Lumagbas, Dhanica Sabine R.

 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE

In this age of globalization, social media has gone viral among teens. Nowadays, social

media is seen as a duty that teens believe they must have to make an impact on the lives of

today’s generation. The function of social media in human life has expanded, including the

breadth of education, both academically and as a discussion material for youngsters. Social

media has a significant impact on people. Someone who was previously insignificant can

become prominent as a result of social media, and vice versa (Putri et al. 2016).

Human-created technology of various types has the function of facilitating human

existence itself. Some people utilize social media to find enjoyment. Someone who has these

sentiments is likely to use social media to cope with the loneliness they feel as a result of a lack

of direct engagement with others (Rosy 2018).

Many teens today play social media without recognizing that if they are constantly

trapped by social media, there would be no more social connection between them. Adolescents

who have lately become hyperactive in cyberspace on social media frequently show off their

everyday lifestyle because they do not want to appear obsolete or scurvy (Putri et al. 2016).

According to Neil Postman, technology gives birth to a technopoly culture, a period in which

individuals deify technology and use it to control all aspects of human existence (Straubhaar et

al. 2012).
 According to Putri et al. (2016), social media does not accurately depict reality.

Teenagers frequently publish their everyday activities to become more popular in their area,

therefore they do not always reveal their genuine social status. (Drakel et al. 2018) discovered

that social media impacts social interaction. Students demonstrate that while they are in the

teaching and learning process, they are more focused on social media, and when they are not in

the classroom, there is virtually no communication between students.

This situation demonstrates that students have unintentionally been subjected to the

rapid effect of social media, which might obstruct social connection. Based on this, researchers

are interested in investigating the impact of social media on social interaction and its impact on

Grade 7 pupils at Liceo de San Pablo Formation Year 2021-2022.

 Review of Related Literature

Social media is widespread in the twenty-first century, yet it is still a hazy concept.

Merriam-Webster defines social media as “forms of electronic communication (such as social

networking and microblogging websites) through which users construct online communities to

share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content” (Chan, Stukus, Leppink 2017).

Social media also contributes to students’ persistence in their pursuit of information,

news, education, insights, and long-distance interactions. People who utilize social media are

now free to communicate and exchange information and news with one another without regard

for cost, location, or time constraints (Soliha 2015).

Social media are an important aspect of the online experience, and much contemporary

study focuses on social media rather than ‘the internet’ as a whole. Social media are Internet-

based channels that enable individuals to engage and choose self-present with both large and

limited audiences that receive value from user-generated material and the sense of contact with

others either in real-time or asynchronously (Julian 2017).

For today’s youth, distance and time are no longer an issue. Many youths or students

who move far away to study and are separated from their parents and relatives,
as well as adults who are separated from their marriages, find it easy to meet in the world of

business. That convenience stems from the fact that social media provides various elements that

do not necessitate face-to-face communication but may bring both parties together remotely

(Yohanna 2020).

Teenagers may use social media to learn about entrepreneurship and develop an interest

in becoming entrepreneurs. Many young entrepreneurs today run their enterprises using social

media. People who use social media find it simpler to buy anything without having to leave the

house, but now they can order whatever they need or desire with just one button. The simplicity

with which many sources may be found is what makes social media a major necessity that is

constantly there (Yohanna 2020).

Age was shown to be connected with a higher frequency of engaging with family and a

lower frequency of dealing with peripheral partners in studies. The study’s findings paint a more

detailed picture of social interactions in everyday life and increase people’s knowledge of social

interactions across the lifetime (Zhaoyang, Sliwinski, Smyth 2016).

Social and cultural norms may have a considerable impact on both the expression of

gender identity and the nature of gender relations. Differences in “gender cultures” affect how

individuals of various genders communicate (Lumen Learning 2017).

 Traditionally, masculine and feminine persons communicate in distinct ways with

others of their gender. Masculine individuals develop connections with other masculine people

through shared interests, whilst feminine people form friendships with other feminine people via

mutual support. However, opposite-gender friendships are initiated by both genders for the same

reasons. These considerations include closeness, acceptance, effort, communication, shared

interests, affection, and novelty (Lumen Learning 2017).

Masculine people express affection by engaging their friends in activities and sharing

favors. Masculine folks typically communicate shoulder-to-shoulder (e.g., watching sports on

television). They avoid expressing their fragility and frailty. They avoid discussing personal and

emotional issues (Lumen Learning 2017).

Feminine persons, on the other hand, are more inclined to show signs of weakness and

vulnerability. In fact, at these moments, individuals may seek out friendships more. As a result,

feminine people frequently feel closer to their friends than masculine people do. Feminine

individuals respect their friends for non-critically listening and speaking, providing support,

communicating emotions of elevated self-esteem, communicating validation, delivering comfort,

and contributing to personal progress (Lumen Learning 2017).

 The popularity of social media services (SMS), notably Facebook and Twitter,

exemplifies how quickly technology evolves. Students’ familiarity with SMS and the amount of

time they spend using them should not be overlooked by instructors who can successfully

employ these technologies in their classrooms (Bartleby 2020).

According to the study, Facebook use has a detrimental impact on face-to-face

communication. The majority of poll participants acknowledged that they spend more time

chatting on Facebook than face to face and that the time they spend on Facebook affects the

amount of time they spend communicating with friends face to face (Newham 2015).

According to one study, 81 percent of kids use social media and more than a third use

social media sites numerous times every hour. These figures have climbed considerably in the

last six years, most likely due to the greater availability of mobile devices (Common Sense

Research 2018).

According to studies, the great majority (about 92 percent) of talks were between two

individuals, with roughly 6% of discussions between three people and minor fractions for bigger

groupings. Despite this, previous studies saw a very significant trend for conversations involving

a larger number of persons to be less well-liked, although reciprocity was usually quite high

(Macskassy 2015).
 Similar emergent social network behavior was found elsewhere, where a massive

component was building out of social contacts. However, it was also noticed that this massive

component was a collection of well-defined smaller communities that were only weakly

connected (Macskassy 2015).

According to the study, excessive social media use reduces social face-to-face

engagement. Users of social media do not often have intimate and trusted connections with their

online peers. Furthermore, these relationships cannot be compared to those formed with friends

and family members through face-to-face encounters (Kolhar, Kazi, Alameen 2021).

According to Hall, both phenomena may be occurring concurrently — tight parenting

may promote social media usage, and social media use may diminish the number of time kids

spend together in person — but concentrating on the latter lays more blame on teens while

ignoring the larger factors at work (Allen 2019).

Users of social media do not often have intimate and trusted connections with their

online peers. Smartphones cause psychological distance between people by reducing face-to-face

contact between family members and friends, which can have a detrimental impact on the quality

of time spent on these connections (Kolhar, Kazi, Alameen 2021).

 studies found that, while social media use influences in-person social contact, the effect

fades when age is taken into account. The real link between social media usage and in-person

social engagement with age becomes skewed. The literature on the subject concentrated on how

social media influences isolation and social capital, as well as which age groups use the Internet

more often (Donlevie 2018).

 Synthesis

To summarize, some researchers have taken up the research topic of the effects of social

media on students’ social contact.

They said that the use of social media is a significant part of the online experience, and

most current research focuses on social media rather than the “internet” as a whole. Social media

helps students and students to persevere in their search for knowledge, news, education, insights,

and long-distance connections. That convenience arises from the fact that social media offers a

variety of features that do not require face-to-face conversation but may bring both parties

together remotely.

In the past research, age was shown to be associated with a higher frequency of

connecting with family and a lower frequency of dealing with peripheral partners. Social and

cultural standards may also have a significant influence on the expression of gender identity as

well as the nature of gender interactions.

They said that social media usage diminishes social face-to-face contact. Users of

social media seldom have personal and trusting relationships with their online peers. The true

relationship between social media usage and in-person social involvement becomes distorted as

people get older.

 Figure 1. Social Media Integration Theory Model

Isra Garcia created the Social Media Integration Theory Model. According to the

concept, the exposure, feedback, interaction, connection, and sharing that social media platforms

give produce significant changes in traditional communication comprehension. The flow of

communication is no longer viewed as a “one-way street” in which messages were delivered to

the audience via the “I communicate – you receive” credo. Rather, social media integration is

viewed as an interactive process in which more than two individuals communicate with each

other at the same time, allowing users to exchange information at the same level. Social

bookmarking sites, such as blogs or web pages, incorporate the material into an active eco-

system that facilitates social media engagement, such as Twitter or Facebook. This material is

then shared and disseminated virally as a result of interactions on the social media ecosystem.

This refers to people who are linked to one another through shared groups, associations, and

interests. This contact generates the viral effect since it is the “six degrees” of separation. This

social media platform enables interaction and the model to flow and become organic.
 Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable

Social Interactions of Students during Pandemic

Dependent Variable
 Influence of social interaction of the students in

terms of:
Effects of social media Use on
o Age
Social Interactions of Grade 7
o Sex
students
 Factors of social networking sites that affects the

social interaction of Grade 7 students.

 Use of social networking sites affecting the

students' communication.

Figure 2. Social Media Uses to Social Interaction of Grade 7 Students

The figure above depicts the researchers’ conceptual framework for their investigation.

The figure is divided into two columns, one for the independent variable and one for the

dependent variable. The first column shows the independent variable that includes the cause that

the researchers wish to investigate. The dependent variable is in the second and last columns. It

provides the impacts that the researchers must discover to complete their investigation. The

efficient utilization of the information acquired in the study can aid grade seven students in

establishing and developing their social interactions through the usage of social media.
 Statement of the Problem

To achieve this study, the researchers have formulated the following objectives of the study.

1. What is the respondent’s profiles in terms of:

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

2. How do the factors of social networking sites affect the social interaction of Grade 7

students?

3. How do the advantages of social media affect the popularity of social networking sites

among students?

4. How do the Grade 7 students use social networking sites and how it will affect their

communication in social interactions?

 Significance of the Study

This study’s findings will focus on the influence of social media use on student social

interactions during the pandemic. The ongoing advancement of technology and social media

exposure of the youth, warrants increasingly effective, life-changing tactics. As a consequence,

students who use the recommended strategy based on the findings of this study will be able to

understand the benefits and drawbacks of social media in their social interactions. Most

significantly, how to promote communication and social interaction amid the epidemic through

the use of social media.

 CHAPTER II

METHOD

The researchers will use research design, participants, equipment, data- gathering

procedure, and data analysis to further investigate the topic in this section of the study, titled

“Effects of Social Media Uses on Social Interactions of Grade 7 students of Liceo de San Pablo

during COVID-19 Pandemic Formation Year 2021-2022.”

Research Design

To obtain information regarding the provided issue, the researchers will employ a

qualitative research technique. The researchers will be able to demonstrate the influence of social

media usage on their social interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic by accessing the

experiences of grade seven students on social interactions.

Participants

The study’s target population is ten teenagers, primarily Grade 7 pupils who regularly

use social media. The students will respond to the researchers’ prepared questions in a meeting

with the researchers and other responders. The researchers will ask questions one by one, which

will be answered by all participants and will form the foundation of the findings.

Instruments
 The researchers will plan an interview schedule or hold a focus group to collect the

necessary data. The researchers will utilize video chat tools such as Zoom or Google Meet to

meet, interview, and watch the participants’ behavior.

Data-Gathering Procedure

Given the nature of the study, the researchers will mostly gather data through

interviews. The interview questions are based on the problem statement. They are intended to

gather vital information on the social interactions of grade seven pupils who used social media

throughout the pandemic. To conduct the study, a letter of approval will be written and sent to

each student.

Data Analysis

The researchers will link, organize, evaluate, and analyze the data gathered from the

interview at this step. Because participants will be questioned collectively at a meeting where

they will answer the researchers’ questions, the findings will be interpreted in such a manner

that all of the respondents’ replies to each question will be aggregated and given- defined as a

response of the total participants. Following that, the researchers will explain the data collected

on the social interactions of grade seven pupils utilizing social media during the epidemic.
 Consent Form

I agree to participate in a research study titled, “Effects of Social Media Uses on Social

Interactions of Grade 7 students of Liceo de San Pablo during COVID-19 Pandemic Formation

Year 2021-2022”. The purpose of this document is to specify the terms of my participation in the

project through being interviewed.

1. My participation as an interviewee in this project is voluntary. I have been given

sufficient information about this research project. The purpose of my participation as an

interviewee in this project has been explained to me and is clear.

2. Participation involves being interviewed by (a) researcher(s) from the Liceo de San

Pablo. I allow the researcher(s) to take written notes during the interview. I also may

allow the recording (by audio/videotape) of the interview. It is clear to me that in case I

do not want the interview to be taped I am at any point of time fully entitled to withdraw

from participation.

3. I have the right not to answer any of the questions. If I feel uncomfortable in any way

during the interview session, I have the right to withdraw from the interview.

4. I have been given the explicit guarantees that, if I wish so, the researcher will not identify

me by name or function in any reports using information obtained from this interview,

and that my confidentiality as a participant in this study will remain secure.

Participant’s Signature
Respectfully

Mr. Marco M. Matanguihan

Mr. Carmelo P. Perez

Mr. Cyril Jeff L. Quinto Ms.

Milky Wae C. Javier

Ms. Nicole Jean F. Latayan

Ms. Dhanica Sabine R. Lumagbas

Questions

1. How do you define social media?

2. Does social networking sites affect your social interaction with others?

3. How do social networking sites affect your social interaction with others?

4. How much time do you spend on social media?

5. In your own opinion, do social networking sites contribute to your interaction and

communication with others?

6. How does your age affect the way you interact with people using social media?

7. How does social media affect your face-to-face interaction with your family?

8. In this pandemic, how does social media help you in communicating with people?

9. Have you ever had a negative experience in your social media interaction? If so, what is

it?

10. How does social media affect your self-confidence in interacting with people?