Social Studies Learning as a Means of Transforming Students’ Social Sensitivity: A Quantitative Study
Keywords:
Character Education, Learning Influence, Social Sensitivity, Social Studies
Abstract
Purpose of the study: This study aimed to examine the influence of Social Studies learning on students’ social sensitivity, particularly in developing empathy, social awareness, self-awareness, and mutual respect among junior high school students through effective and interactive classroom learning processes within the educational environment.
Methodology: This study employed a quantitative associative research design involving 30 junior high school students selected through total sampling techniques. Data were collected using observation sheets, questionnaires, and documentation methods. Research instruments applied a Likert scale measurement model. Data analysis included normality tests, heteroscedasticity tests, simple linear regression, coefficient determination, and hypothesis testing using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software.
Main Findings: The findings indicated that Social Studies learning had a positive and significant influence on students’ social sensitivity. Students demonstrated good levels of empathy, social awareness, self-awareness, and mutual respect during the learning process. Regression analysis showed a significance value of 0.000 and a coefficient determination value of 87.2%, indicating that Social Studies learning substantially contributed to improving students’ social sensitivity within the school environment.
Novelty/Originality of this study: This study highlights social sensitivity as the primary outcome of Social Studies learning using a quantitative associative approach. Unlike previous studies emphasizing cognitive achievement, this research focuses on the transformation of students’ social character through Social Studies learning. The study also provides empirical evidence regarding the contribution of Social Studies learning to strengthening students’ interpersonal awareness and social behavior.
References
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[2] M. M. Manfra et al., “Assessing computational thinking in the social studies,” Theory Res. Soc. Educ., vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 255–296, 2022, doi: 10.1080/00933104.2021.2003276.
[3] E. Kropfreiter, R. Bernhard, and T. Mcdermott, “Austrian secondary school teachers’ views on character education: Quantitative insights from a mixed-methods study,” J. Moral Educ., vol. 00, no. 00, pp. 1–21, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03057240.2024.2373167.
[4] J. Arthur, “Character education in universities,” Church, Commun. Cult., vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 329–344, 2024, doi: 10.1080/23753234.2024.2390128.
[5] P. Oldham and S. Mcloughlin, “Character education research: A scoping review,” Br. J. Educ. Stud., vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 169–192, 2026, doi: 10.1080/00071005.2025.2557208.
[6] S. Woroniecki et al., “Contributions of nature-based solutions to reducing people’s vulnerabilities to climate change across the rural Global South,” Clim. Dev., vol. 15, no. 7, pp. 590–607, 2023, doi: 10.1080/17565529.2022.2129954.
[7] M. Tang, “Crosslinguistic influence on Chinese EFL learners’ acquisition of English finite and nonfinite distinctions,” Cogent Educ., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1–18, 2020, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2020.1721642.
[8] K. E. Duncan, C. Simmons, and K. E. Duncan, “Distorted images: Black women’s representation in elementary social studies texts,” Crit. Stud. Educ., vol. 00, no. 00, pp. 1–18, 2025, doi: 10.1080/17508487.2025.2502628.
[9] S. Chen, T. Jackson, Y. He, S. Chen, T. Jackson, and Y. He, “Effects of false feedback on pain tolerability among young healthy adults: Predictive roles of intentional effort investment and perceived pain intensity,” J. Pain Res., vol. 16, pp. 2257–2268, 2023, doi: 10.2147/JPR.S412994.
[10] J. Häsä, J. Rämö, and Z. Yan, “Examining the reciprocal influence between undergraduate students’ self-regulation and approaches to learning,” Scand. J. Educ. Res., vol. 69, no. 6, pp. 1175–1189, 2025, doi: 10.1080/00313831.2024.2394404.
[11] Y. Lu and Y. Lu, “Exploring virtue diversity to develop a multiculturally sensitive character education sensitive character education,” Ethics Educ., vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 15–31, 2026, doi: 10.1080/17449642.2025.2602982.
[12] H. V. Trå, F. Volden, and R. G. Watten, “High sensitivity: Factor structure of the highly sensitive person scale and personality traits in a high and low sensitivity group. Two gender — matched studies,” Nord. Psychol., vol. 75, no. 4, pp. 328–350, 2023, doi: 10.1080/19012276.2022.2093778.
[13] C. Chen, J. Rothwell, and P. Maynard-zhang, “In-school and/or out-of-school computer science learning influence on CS career interests, mediated by having role-models,” Comput. Sci. Educ., vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 753–777, 2024, doi: 10.1080/08993408.2023.2290435.
[14] V. Korpela, L. Pajula, and R. Hänninen, “Investigating the multifaceted role of warm experts in enhancing and hindering older adults’ digital skills in Finland,” Int. J. Lifelong Educ., vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 509–522, 2024, doi: 10.1080/02601370.2024.2353176.
[15] Y. Zhu, W. Zhang, and X. Shi, “Longitudinal associations between childhood emotional abuse and social anxiety in emerging adults: The role of interpersonal sensitivity and insecurity,” Psychol. Res. Behav. Manag., vol. 18, pp. 1787–1797, 2025, doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S528300.
[16] K. Bermingham et al., “Parent PTSD, social support and differential associations with facets of anxiety sensitivity,” Eur. J. Psychotraumatol., vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 1–4, 2025, doi: 10.1080/20008066.2025.2565060.
[17] F. E. Daudu, C. Bertram, and C. Bertram, “Pedagogic discourse in Nigerian grade 9 social studies lessons,” Pedagog. Cult. Soc., vol. 00, no. 00, pp. 1–22, 2025, doi: 10.1080/14681366.2025.2579683.
[18] K. Kristjánsson, T. Harrison, and A. Peterson, “Reconsidering the ‘Ten Myths’ about character education,” Br. J. Educ. Stud., vol. 73, no. 1, pp. 49–72, 2025, doi: 10.1080/00071005.2024.2378059.
[19] J. P. Dabdoub et al., “Redesigning schools for effective character education through leadership: The case of PRIMED Institute and vLACE,” J. Moral Educ., vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 558–574, 2024, doi: 10.1080/03057240.2023.2254510.
[20] P. Hart, “Reinventing character education: The potential for participatory character education using MacIntyre’ s ethics,” J. Curric. Stud., vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 486–500, 2022, doi: 10.1080/00220272.2021.1998640.
[21] S. Jittayuthd and A. Karl, “Rejection sensitivity and vulnerable attachment: Associations with social support and PTSD symptoms in trauma survivors,” Eur. J. Psychotraumatol., vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1–12, 2022, doi: 10.1080/20008198.2022.2027676.
[22] P. Hansen and M. Puustinen, “Rethinking society and knowledge in Finnish social studies textbooks,” J. Curric. Stud., vol. 53, no. 6, pp. 857–873, 2021, doi: 10.1080/00220272.2021.1881169.
[23] S. Sanusi et al., “Social knowledge management to optimize adolescents’ social studies learning in Banda Aceh, Indonesia,” Cogent Educ., vol. 12, no. 1, p., 2025, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2025.2506062.
[24] Y. Lu and Y. Lu, “The compatibility of character education and citizenship education in Aristotelian approaches to moral development,” J. Moral Educ., vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 710–724, 2025, doi: 10.1080/03057240.2024.2354746.
[25] J. Liu, K. Yuan, X. Lin, and W. Zhu, “What learning strategies influence higher-order learning behaviours of medical students?,” Ann. Med., vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 1–11, 2023, doi: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2205166.
[26] L. Halimah et al., “Storytelling through ‘Wayang Golek’ puppet show: Practical ways in incorporating character education in early childhood,” Cogent Educ., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1–12, 2020, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2020.1794495.
[27] W. Quirke, K. Mccrorie, S. Proctor, and K. Mccrorie, “Teaching social studies: Exploring the impact of a transdisciplinary approach towards initial teacher education in Scotland,” J. Curric. Stud., vol. 00, no. 00, pp. 1–19, 2025, doi: 10.1080/00220272.2025.2486109.
[28] V. De Gucht, D. H. A. Woestenburg, T. F. Wilderjans, V. De Gucht, D. H. A. Woestenburg, and T. F. Wilderjans, “The different faces of (High) sensitivity, toward a more comprehensive measurement instrument. Development and validation of the sensory processing sensitivity questionnaire (SPSQ),” J. Pers. Assess., vol. 104, no. 6, pp. 784–799, 2022, doi: 10.1080/00223891.2022.2032101.
[29] Z. F. Hashmi, J. Iqbal, M. Z. Asghar, and L. Siming, “The influence of online learning interactions on self-regulated learning: Mediating role of technology proficiencies among higher education students,” Open Learn. J. Open, Distance e-Learning, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 41–66, 2026, doi: 10.1080/02680513.2025.2492657.
[30] D. E. Sörman et al., “The influence of personality traits on engagement in lifelong learning,” Int. J. Lifelong Educ., vol. 43, no. 2–3, pp. 259–276, 2024, doi: 10.1080/02601370.2024.2343013.
[31] P. Hart and A. Liddle, “Through the Wardrobe of character education: Unveiling complexities in implementing the Narnian virtues curriculum,” Cogent Educ., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1–15, 2024, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2024.2418791.
[32] L. Zhong, “Towards the pivotal factors for the influence of flipped classroom on students’ self-regulated learning and EFL speaking competence,” Cogent Educ., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 1–18, 2024, doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2024.2351733.
[33] Y. Liu, J. Gao, F. Wu, L. Chen, and F. Wu, “Understanding of competition among preschool children in China,” Early Child Dev. Care, vol. 95, no. 15–16, pp. 1570–1589, 2025, doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2603273.
[34] H. Jensen et al., “What counts as learning in play? Uncovering patterns in perceptions of South African early educators,” Int. J. Early Years Educ., vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 298–313, 2021, doi: 10.1080/09669760.2020.1814215.
Published
2026-05-14
How to Cite
Trian, R., & Suliani, S. (2026). Social Studies Learning as a Means of Transforming Students’ Social Sensitivity: A Quantitative Study. GeoEdu Insight Journal, 1(1), 1-7. Retrieved from https://cahayaic.digisstant.com/index.php/GEdlJ/article/view/3215
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rima Trian, Sri Suliani
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