Effect of peer influence and social media utilisation on reading habit of secondary school students in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of peer influence and use of social media on reading habit of secondary school students in Oyo State, Nigeria with particular focus on SS II students. The study adopted the survey research design while questionnaire was adopted as the major instrument of data collection. A total of 2,468 senior secondary II students selected across 140 schools constitute the sample size for the study. Findings on the reading habits of secondary school students revealed reading to pass examinations (68.4%), self-development (66.7%), acquisition of information (61.1%), leisure and fun-seeking (58.3%), desire to be at par with mates (54.2%) and while away time (52.6%) as major purposes for reading while coffee-taking (47.6%), soaking legs in water (38.4%), drug usage (36.6%), gum chewing (35.1%), listening to music (34.5%) and biting finger nails (33.0%) were done alongside with reading. Also, the study revealed that reading frequencies among the students were: less than one hour (53.8%), 2 - 4 hours (49.7%), one hour (40.1%), 4 - 6 hours (38.9%), and 6 hours and above (32.6%). High level of peer influence was established among the students while reading, sourcing for news, making new friends, socialising with contacts, having leisure/fun/entertainment and finding community of interest were major purposes for which the students make use of social media. Facebook, 2go, google talk, Whatsapp and Twitter were found to be the most used social media by secondary school students. A positive relationship was established between peer influence, use of social media and reading habit of secondary school students in Oyo State, Nigeria.

Keywords: Peer influence, Social media utilisation, Reading habit, Secondary school students, Oyo State, Nigeria