Abstract
The study was carried out to investigate Internet Usage and the Development of Social Skills among youths in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Gender and age differences, differences in the degree of social involvement, social tolerance, patterns of behaviour between internet users and non-users and the relationship between internet usage and social skills development was investigated. Six research questions turned into hypotheses guided the study. The survey research design was adopted. From a population of 9,343 regular year two undergraduates, 500 samples were drawn through stratified random sampling technique at equal gender basis from 5 out of 11 faculties of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A validated Instrument, Internet Usage and Social Skills Development Questionnaire (IUSSDO) with reliability coefficient of .73 was used to gather data for the study. The t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation were used to analyze data at .05 level of significance. Results indicated significant gender and age differences in internet usage; significant differences in social skills development, social tolerance and pattern of behaviour between internet users and non-users while a strong relationship was established between internet usage and social skills development. It was concluded that internet usage negatively affected social skills development of youths. It was recommended among other things that parents, guardians, teachers, school counsellors and non-governmental organizations should encourage youths to be self-disciplined and relates to people in the real world in acceptable manners.
Highlights
The dawn of the new millennium ushered into the world greater interconnectivity, accelerated knowledge and flow of data which know no national boundaries. The force fueling this rapid transformation of isolated islands to interconnected super highways is Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Some researchers posit that the increased acces to information provided by the internet has resulted in the rapid fall of postal communication services and the extraordinary penetration and accessibility of world wide web (WWW), turning the entire world into a global village [2, 3]
This study examines the relationship between internet usage and the development of social skills among youths in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Summary
The dawn of the new millennium ushered into the world greater interconnectivity, accelerated knowledge and flow of data which know no national boundaries. The force fueling this rapid transformation of isolated islands to interconnected super highways is Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Internet provides a new communication medium that enables access to vast amounts of information across a wide variety of dimensions [1]. Some researchers posit that the increased acces to information provided by the internet has resulted in the rapid fall of postal communication services and the extraordinary penetration and accessibility of world wide web (WWW), turning the entire world into a global village [2, 3]. Access to right information at the right time gives the youths greater control over their destinies [4, 5]
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