The perceived influence of propaganda in understanding civic issues
Janica Ann G. Banlasan & Jhessabel T. Reytana
Abstract
The acceleration of information access and dissemination in the digital age presents a growing challenge to the individuals’ ability to critically understand and engage with civic issues. This study aimed to examine the perceived influence of propaganda on individuals’ understanding of civic issues, focusing on how it shapes societal perceptions, political alignments, collective action, and trust in media and institutions. The study employed descriptive-comparative research design, utilizing a validated questionnaire to gather data from 100 respondents, who were young adults with high school education. The findings showed that participants relied on social media for civic information and demonstrated moderate level of media literacy. There was no significant difference in the perceived influence of propaganda when grouped according to demographic profile, except for educational attainment, which showed a significant relationship with political alignment. The findings suggest that higher education enhances individuals’ critical thinking. However, the study was limited to a single community, which may restrict the generalizability of its results. The findings also highlight the need for enhanced media literacy programs across educational levels to help individuals identify false information, recognize propaganda techniques, and evaluate source credibility. These insights informed the development of social media awareness campaign aimed at addressing propaganda-related issues in the community.
Keywords
civic issues, misleading information, perceived influence, propaganda, false information
Author information & Contribution
Janica Ann G. Banlasan. Corresponding author. CSTC College of Sciences, Technology, and Communications, Inc. Email: janicabanlasan@gmail.com
Jhessabel T. Reytana. CSTC College of Sciences, Technology, and Communications, Inc. Email: jhessabelreytana94@gmail.com
"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Funding
This work was not supported by any funding.
Declaration
AI Tools were not used in writing this paper.
Notes
*This paper is a finalist at the 5th International Research Competition (IRC) 2025
Acknowledgement
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Cite this article:
Banlasan, J.A.G. & Reytana, J.T. (2025). The perceived influence of propaganda in understanding civic issues. The Research Probe, 5(2), 87-105. https://doi.org/10.53378/trp.196
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