An Analysis of the Interactive Effects of Demographic Variables on Students’ Academic Performance in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of two environmental variables (social density and overcrowding) on students’ learning and academic performance in selected Nigerian Universities. 150 undergraduates drawn from two universities within the middle belt region of Nigeria made up of 90 males and 60 females responded to the questionnaire. Age range of participants was 20-50 years with a mean of 24 and a standard deviation of 4.2 The Perceived and Actual Density Scale developed by Moch, Bordas and Herman (1996) was reviewed and adopted for the purpose of data collection. Three hypotheses were tested and two were accepted while one was rejected. It was found that there are no significant differences in the experience of these environmental variables between males and females. The study also confirmed that overcrowding and social density have significant effects on the academic performance of the respondents (248.271, df1, f=55.083, p<0.05). In conclusion, the study recommends in the interim, the provision of psychotherapeutic services on all Nigerian University campuses to help and assist all distressed students studying under such hash learning environments and a proactive intervention by government(s) and Councils of the various institutions; and public/private partnership in infrastructural development to address this problem in the Nigeria University education in particular and tertiary institutions in the country in general. Doing these will no doubt create conducive learning environment to students in such institutions.

Keywords: Population Density, Academic Performance, Crowding, Students, Environment, Education