Influence of Social Networking Sites on the Moral Values of Selected Undergraduate Students of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Considering the dearth of literature on social media usage and the moral values of the youth in south-west Nigeria, this study examined the  influence of social networking sites on the moral values of selected undergraduate students of the University of Ibadan. It explored the moral values preferred by students, and the specific ways that social networking sites usage influenced the moral conduct of students. The Technological Determinism Theory served as framework while the study employed the mixed methods of research to gather quantitative and qualitative data. For the survey, the stratified and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 220 undergraduates from eleven (11) purposively selected faculties in the university. Four focus group discussions comprising 26 purposively selected participants were held across four selected undergraduate halls of residence in the University of Ibadan. Findings revealed that the moral values applied by University of Ibadan undergraduates include but are not limited to love, honesty, respect, forgiveness/compassion and responsibility. While the students considered knowledge/learning to be their most important moral value, love seemed to be their most applied moral value. The study also showed that social networking sites have more negative than positive influence on moral values and the social networking site that influenced the moral values of respondents the most was WhatsApp. Results buttressed the need for social media regulation as well as social media literacy in Nigeria.

Keywords: University of Ibadan undergraduates, social networking sites usage, moral values, social media, technological determinism