Chapter II
This chapter discusses and will present significant
literature and studies that provide an inclination to the
current study. This part also pertains to placing the proper
context to review previous researchers that are relevant to
this study and create a synthesis based on the above-
mentioned citations.
Review of Related Literature
Career choice and self-efficacy toward senior high school
students’ career goals in the Philippines.
According to Cabajar (2018) this study examines how
self-efficacy affects Filipino SHS students’ career goals
across different academic strands, including HUMSS. It lays
a foundation for understanding how internal and external
influences (like media) may shape confidence and career
direction.
Social media usage and the academic performance of Filipino
junior high school students. International Institute of
Academic Research and Innovation.
According to Cayanan et al, (2019) this study is
focused on junior high, it discusses how media usage—
especially social platforms—relates to academic performance
and engagement, offering insights into media’s broader
impact on youth development.
Social media use and critical thinking skills among senior
high school learners.
According to Dizon et al, (2023) it explores how social
media affects the cognitive development of SHS students. For
HUMSS students, whose track relies on critical thinking and
communication, media use can strongly influence both
academic growth and career outlooks.
The media’s influence to the millennials: Retrospecting
academic performance and media exposure
Based on Flores et al, (2016) that this study directly
assesses how media consumption patterns among Filipino
millennials impact educational performance, offering a basis
for analyzing media’s role in shaping the values and goals
of students.
Anecdotal evidence from Filipino HUMSS students on media
influence. Reddit Philippines.
Though informal, these narratives show real-life
insights from HUMSS students discussing how media (e.g.,
influencers, vlogs, news, trends) affects their career
plans, providing qualitative, personal context often missing
in academic studies.
The media’s impact on college students’ career aspirations
with a focus on minority students
Cooper’s qualitative study explores how college
students—particularly ethnic and racial minorities—use media
to find career inspiration, though media consumption was not
directly tied to career confidence. It highlights the role
of media as an informational tool rather than a
deterministic force in career decisions. Cooper (2016)
Impact of digital media on gifted students’ career choices
According to Kara (2019) this Turkish case study shows
that gifted students often use digital media to explore
occupations, but emphasizes the need for proper guidance and
media literacy—suggesting that digital exposure alone isn’t
enough to form realistic aspirations.
Media and occupational aspirations: The effect of television
on career aspirations of adolescents (exploring the “Merlí
effect” in Catalonia).
This study considers whether a TV series featuring
philosophy classes led to greater interest among Catalan
students in pursuing philosophy—it suggests media can boost
visibility or social value of a discipline, even if
individuals don’t directly connect it to their own choice.
Pressure from social media: Influence of social media usage
on career exploration Career Development International
Accoeding Zhang et al, (2023) using a large sample of
Chinese university students, this survey demonstrates that
career-oriented social media use increases career anxiety—
and that anxiety, in turn, stimulates active career
exploration—especially for those high in social comparison
orientation.
Adolescents’ science career knowledge and aspirations: The
impact of media images
Shows how gendered and stereotypical media portrayals
influence adolescents’ perceptions of careers—relevant for
understanding media’s effect on career interest in both STEM
and humanities.
Theortical Framework
The Social Cognitive Career Theory
The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), developed by
Lent, Brown, and Hackett (1994), provides a comprehensive
framework for understanding how individuals form career
aspirations. It emphasizes the role of three key factors:
self-efficacy beliefs (confidence in one’s ability to
succeed in specific tasks), outcome expectations (beliefs
about the potential results of pursuing certain careers),
and personal goals (intentions to engage in specific
educational or career paths). These factors are shaped by
learning experiences and environmental influences, including
media. In the context of HUMSS (Humanities and Social
Sciences) students, media exposure plays a significant role
by providing vicarious learning opportunities—students
observe professionals such as journalists, psychologists, or
public servants through television, films, and social media,
which helps shape their confidence and interest in those
careers. Moreover, media representations influence students’
outcome expectations by portraying certain careers as
rewarding, meaningful, or socially impactful. As HUMSS
students often explore identity-driven and communication-
based professions, the media becomes a powerful tool in
reinforcing or even introducing new career possibilities.
Therefore, SCCT effectively explains how media shapes
students’ career development through cognitive and
observational learning processes.
Conceptual Framework
This conceptual framework illustrates the relationship
between students’ demographic profile and the data collected
through survey questionnaires as key tools in assessing the
level and type of media exposure students experience. Based
on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), media exposure
serves as a stimulus that influences students’ cognitive and
observational learning, thereby shaping their career
aspirations. The framework highlights how external
influences (like media) interact with internal factors (like
demographics) in guiding career development decisions among
senior high school students.
Researcher Paradigm
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT
VARIABLE
1. The Demographic
Profile of the Media Exposures’
respondents influence on career
2. Survey aspirations of Senior
Questionnaires High School