INFLUENCE OF WHATSAPP USAGE ON SOCIAL BEHAVIOURS AMONG STUDENTS IN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF KENYA, NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Maurice Okungu, Dr. Florence K' Okul

Abstract


The study is about the influence of Whatsapp usage on social behavior among students in Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was anchored on the problem behaviour theory. The study adopted mixed method research design. The study was conducted at Technical University of Kenya with a target population of 16000 students. Stratified random sampling was used to select a sample of 391 respondents. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data. The instruments were scrutinized by experts in the study area to judge the items validity. There was a reliability statistics to test the internal consistency within items which were established using the Cronbach's Alpha where a threshold of 0.7 was accepted. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected from the field. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and reported in narrative form. Both descriptive (means and percentages) and inferential statistics (for testing research hypothesis) were applied through one-way analysis of variance at the level of significance of 0.05 for quantitative data collected. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26 was used for data analysis. There was a statistically significant correlation between the use of WhatsApp and social behavior among students in Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi County (r= 0.654; sig. =.0125). The study recommended that the university management should establish mechanisms of limiting the internet access to students. The relevant authorities and stakeholders to develop and pass policies for banning some sites that corrupts students' mind. The findings of this study may benefit university administrators, the government, particularly the education stakeholders, in formulating policies that may control the usage and consumption of social media content that negatively influence their social behavior.

Keywords: Whatsapp Usage, Social Behaviours, Students, Technical University


Full Text:

PDF

References


Adegboyega, L. (2020). Influence of Social Media on the Social Behavior of Students as Viewed by Primary School Teachers in Kwara State, Nigeria. Mimbar Sekolah Dasar, 7(1), 43-53. https://doi.org/10.17509/mimbar-sd.v7i1.23479

Anderson, C. and Bushman, B. (2002). Human Aggression. Annual. Rev. Psychol. 53:27–51

Barbara, K. (2015). Academic peer pressure in social media: Experiences from the heavy, the targeted and the restricted user. First Monday. 20. 10.5210/fm.v20i6.5854.

Bertot, J. C, Jaeger, P. T., & Grimes, J. M. (2010). Using ICTs to create a culture of transparency: E-government and social media as openness and anti-corruption tools for societies. Government information quarterly, 27(3), 264-271.

Chen, L., Ho, S. S., & Lwin, M. O. (2016). A meta-analysis of factors predicting cyberbullying perpetration and victimization: From the social cognitive and media effects approach. New media & society,1461444816634037.

Creswell, J.W. and Creswell, J.D. (2018) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Sage, Los Angeles.

Duggan, M., & Smith, A. (2013). Soda! media update 2013. Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2014). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyber bullying. Corwin Press.

Iorio, G., Labory, S. and Rentocchini, F. (2017). The importance of pro-social behaviour for the breadth and depth of knowledge transfer activities: An analysis of Italia academic scientists. Research Policy, Volume 46, Issue 2, Pages 497-509, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2016.12.003.

Jessor, R., & Jessor, S. L, (1987). Problem behavior and psychosocial development: A longitudinal study of youth.

Kaiser Family Foundation. (2003, Spring). TV.

Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business horizons, 53(1), 59-68.

Kirsh, S. J. (2010). Media and youth: A developmental perspective. John Wiley & Sons.

Larkin, A., & Dwyer, A. (2016). Fighting like a girl... or a boy? An analysis of videos of violence between young girls posted on online fight websites. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 27(3), 269.

Lent, R.W. and Taveira, H.B. do Ceu.,Sheu, and D.Singley, [2009]. Social cognitive predictors of academic adjustment and life satisfaction in Portuguese college students: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Vocational Behavior 4: 190-198

Martínez, B. and Vanesa V. and Jone, C. (2014). Victimization, perception of violence, and social behaviour / Victimización, percepción de la violencia y conducta social. Infancia y Aprendizaje. 37. 90-116. 10.1080/02103702.2014.881651.

Michele, W. and Kimberley, L. S. [2007]. Methodology to assess college student risk taking behavior in social networking sites. APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing. Retrieved from http://apha.confex.com/apha/135am/techprogram/meeting.htm

Ogidefa, I. (2008). Cultism in educational institutions in Nigeria: causes, possible solutions and counseling implications. Education Research.

Sanjoy, D. (2018). Sampling methods. 10.13140/RG.2.2.22856.57605.

Shava, H., & Chinyamurindi, W. T. (2018). Determinants of social media usage among a sample of rural South African youth. South African Journal of Information Management, 20(1).

Shih, C.C [2009]. The Facebook Era: tapping Online Social Networks to build better products, reach new audiences and sell more stuff, Pearson Education Source: http://www.shoreline.edu/dchris/psych209/Documents/Case%20Studies.pdf

Simons, & Hellen. (2009). Case study research in practice., SAGE publications.

Smith, K., Rogers, J., Strickland, J. and Epstein, D. (2021). When an obscurity becomes trend: social-media descriptions of tianeptine use and associated atypical drug use, The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 47:4, 455-466, DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2021.1904408

Suarez-Lledo, V. and Alvarez-Galvez, J. (2019). Prevalence of Health Misinformation on Social Media: Systematic Review.

Susan, B. B. [2006]. A Privacy Paradox: Social networking in the United States, peer-reviewed. Journal on the Internet, volume 1 lp.9 accessed on 09/08/2012 from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1394/1312

Tareq, N. (2019). Social Media Text Mining Framework for Drug Abuse: An Opioid Crisis Case Analysis. (Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations).

Udris, R. (2014). Cyberbullying among high school students in Japan: Development and validation of the Online Disinhibition Scale. Computers in Human Behavior, 41, 253-261.

Zyl, S. (2009). The impact of social Networking 2.0 on organisations. The Electronic library, 27(6), 906-918.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.