USES AND GRATIFICATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
AMONG UNDERGRADUATES IN BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI: AN EVALUATION
BY
KOPPI,
NGUFAN EVELYN
BSU/SS/COM/10/9533
DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION, BENUE
STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI.
FEBRUARY, 2015.
SUPERVISED BY OGI OTOR JOHN
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background
to the Study
The revolution of the society,
which social media technology plays a stake and has risen to acceptance as
legitimate forms of communication by people of all ages, is best described in
an Academy Award-winning film as cited by Simonpietri and Jeremy (2011:3) thus “we
lived on farms, the we lived in cities, and now we are going to live on the
internet”. They continued that, all forms of social media have been both
praised and criticized for their impact to the society, youth in particular,
interesting trends that have emerged as social media are increasingly used in
modern society. It is inherent in human nature to crave a connection with
another person and most often, to establish this connection through
communication. Today’s youth demonstrates a strong preference towards the use
of electronic technology to communicate and socialize, and social media is what
they readily turn to.
Social Media according to Minavere
et al as cited by Ogi (2012:8), are often accessed through the internet which
is enabled by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). They are
instrumental in shaping and catalyzing social change for they allow wide
participation, continued flow of communication and speed in public
mobilization. The development of Social Media has created opportunities to
instigate social change, through building awareness and information seeking,
triggering public will mobilization, sharing knowledge, information sharing,
entertainment and relaxation. Thus, their role is indeed changing in social,
political and educational processes and their significance is on the increase
in society.
Social Media by definition,
according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2014:1), is defined as “forms
of electronic communication through which users create online communities to
share information, ideas, personal messages and other content (as videos)”.
Kaplan and Haenlein as cited in
Ijwo and Ikani (2011:126), define Social Media as “a group of Internet-based
applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of web
2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content”.
Moreso, Social Media depend on mobile and web-based technologies to create,
highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share,
co-create, discuss and modify user-generated content. They introduce
substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations,
communities and individuals.
Social Media networks according to
Boyd and Elison as cited in Sponcil and Gitimu (2011:2) have created a platform
on the internet that has gained popularity over the last decade. Some
undergraduates use social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, My Space, and
Whatsapp to create and sustain relationships with others. These Social Media
sites allow the users to create personal profiles, while connecting with other
users of the sites. Users can upload photographs, post what they are doing at
any given time, and send personal or public messages to whomever they choose.
In affirmative to the above, Ijwo and Ikani (2011:228) say that, the services
offered by this phenomenon amongst other things enable an individual or group
to create, distribute, rate, comment and aggregate content in a way that one is
not subjected to the restrictions inherent in the traditional mass media
(radio, television, newspaper and magazine). This exemplifies the relevance of
social media usage among undergraduates in their academic and social lives.
The effects of Social Media on its
users is evident by reviewing the growth statistics by Lenhart et al as
captured by Sponcil & Gitimu (2011:2), that
undergraduates form a large proposition of users on Social Media sites,
and 72% of all undergraduates have a social media profile with 45% using a
social media site at least once a day. Many of these undergraduates use social
media network to communicate with family, friends and even strangers. Thus,
social media have created new and non-personal ways for people to interact with
others and undergraduates have taken advantage of this technological trend. The
most frequently asked question today is whether social media is for better or
for worse? To some people, social media is a revolutionary invention while
others take it as a negative impact to the society.
The benefits of social media according
to Ali Noman (2012:2) and procon.org (2012:1) are that: the online communities
promote increased interaction with friends and family in an easy and convenient
way; reducing communication barrier, social media enable users to communicate
their thoughts and perceptions over different topics with a large number of
audience members; it offer students valuable access to educational support and
materials, etc. Meanwhile the detrimental effects of social media are that: it
leads to addiction; it also leads to isolation where its usage has reduced the
level of physical/face to face interaction; and it affects productivity, where
some students use social media to enhance knowledge but it turns to be a great
distraction to them.
It is on this background that, the
researcher wants to evaluate the uses and gratifications of social media among
undergraduates in BSU, Makurdi.
1.2
Statement
of the Problem
Social Media as an innovative form
of technological communication affects different people of all ages. It has
gained popularity in the modern society, and has made the society a global
village. Students are now greatly increasing their social media use in an
effort to, among other reasons, connect with their digitized friends and
possibly not fall out of the technological divide.
Social Media ease and maximize
communication amongst other benefits and at the same time has detrimental
effects on its users. Therefore, the increased number of Social Media users
among undergraduates and the extent to which they use it (social media) raises
pertinent questions in the minds of many observers. Thus, there is need to
evaluate the uses and gratifications of Social Media among undergraduates in
Benue State University, Makurdi; which takes root from Uses and Gratification theory
and seek to know whether the availability of these facilities help or hinder
their academics. In other words, what effects does Social Media usage have on
undergraduates in Benue State University, Makurdi?
1.3 Objectives
of the Study
The main objectives of this study
are to evaluate the uses and gratifications of social media among
undergraduates in BSU, Makurdi and the impacts it has on their academics.
However, the specific objectives are:
i.
To identify Social
Media sites used mostly by BSU students.
ii.
To determine the extent
to which undergraduates in BSU Makurdi use social media.
iii.
To determine the
purposes for BSU undergraduates’ use of Social Media.
iv.
To know the effects of
Social Media usage on undergraduates in BSU, Makurdi.
v.
To ascertain BSU undergraduates’
perception of the contribution of Social Media to their academics and social
lives.
1.4 Research
Questions
The
research questions will be:
i.
What are the Social
Media sites mostly used by BSU students?
ii.
To what extent do
undergraduates in BSU use social media?
iii.
What are the purposes
for BSU undergraduates’ use of Social Media?
iv.
What effects does
Social Media usage have on undergraduates in BSU?
v.
What are BSU
undergraduates’ perceptions on the contribution of Social Media to their
academics and social lives?
1.5 Significance
of the Study
The study is significant because,
sociability is an underlying theme in using forms of social media. It will be
particularly relevant to students, since this interesting trend that has
emerged as social media is continuing to grow at a fast pace among
undergraduates, it is important to understand the effects it has on their
academic and social lives. Therefore, the study will help them know the effects
of social media usage.
This study is also relevant to
lecturers, as it will enable them to get acquainted with the uses and
gratifications of social media and subsequently enhance teaching-learning
process, through upload of academic contents for use by students.
The study is relevant to
parents/guardians who are interested in the role social media plays in the
academic and social lives of their children/wards as will be discussed in this
work.
It is also relevant to institutions
of learning, by providing basic knowledge on the positive and negative effects
of social media on students, so as to enable management take adequate steps
towards promoting and cautioning its use among students.
It will also be relevant to
government by aiding their understanding on the uses and gratifications of
social media, as it can be used during campaign and interaction between
government and the people.
The study will also provide basis
for intending researchers, who may want to undertake a similar study.
1.6 Scope
of the Study
The study is an evaluation of Uses
and Gratifications of Social Media among undergraduates in BSU, Makurdi.
Therefore, it covers all undergraduates within the university.
1.7 Definition
of Terms
Social Media
According to Ijwo and Ikani
(2011:226-227), Social Media are internet based and are enabled by ICTs, which
provide platforms for a person or group of persons to create content, store and
distribute such content, with a view of interactively sharing meaning and
understanding.
Internet
Internet according to Kombol
(2012:132), is a world wide network of computers that enable fast free flow of
information from any part of the globe.
ICTs
According to Kombol (2012:34), ICTs
is the acronym for Information and Communication Technologies. They are
improved means of transmitting and retrieving information.
Undergraduate
According to Hornby (2005:1605), an
undergraduate is a university student studying for a first degree.
Gratification
According to Hornby (2005:651) gratification
is satisfaction or pleasure derived from something.
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