PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCES ON POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE AMONG STUDENT LEADERS IN QUEZON CITY

Abstract

Political views among college students are commonly believed to be shaped by external factors like social media and peer influence. This study challenges that assumption by investigating the impact of leadership experience on political adaptability. It specifically examines Student Council officers from selected colleges in Quezon City to understand how their leadership roles and psychological traits influence their political perspectives. This study utilized a quantitative-comparative research design and involved 50 Student Council officers from Bestlink College of the Philippines, St. Catherine College, Quezon City University, and National University. Data collection was done through a structured survey that captured demographic information, political orientation, and perceived influences. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Chi-square tests were employed to examine the relationship between demographic variables and political adaptability. The results indicate that 66% of the respondents were female, and 36% were in their third year of study, reflecting a gender and academic year imbalance. A majority of 59.3% identified as conservative, while only 13% identified as liberal, which challenges the common perception of student leaders being predominantly progressive. Participants disagreed that peer groups and social media significantly influenced their political views (mean = 2.55), whereas leadership roles were linked to higher political adaptability (mean = 3.32). Statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U test revealed significant effects of gender and year level on leadership confidence and political tolerance (U = 124.5, p < 0.05). Conversely, the Chi-square test showed that age did not significantly affect these variables (X² = 5.93, p > 0.05). Additionally, 64% of respondents held minor leadership positions, with only 4% occupying top leadership roles. The findings indicate that leadership experience plays a more crucial role in shaping political perspectives than peer pressure or social media influence. Student leaders with more leadership experience, particularly those in higher academic years, showed greater political tolerance and self-confidence. These results challenge common assumptions about youth political engagement and underscore the importance of leadership development, inclusive mentorship, and media literacy programs to foster political adaptability and critical thinking among student leaders.