Upshot of Uses and Gratifications of Social Media on the Moral Conducts of Business Education Students in Nigerian Universities: A Post Covid-19 Lockdown Effect

Abstract

The study analyzes the uses and gratification of social media on the moral conducts of business education students in Nigerian Universities in a Post corona virus lockdown. The study adopts a survey research design. A high effect sample is determined by size d and power, 1-b. The sample for the study includes 386 Business Education students in universities across the six zones in Nigeria. A structured questionnaire and focus group discussion guide are instruments for data collection. The instruments are structured through four-point scales of strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree, with values of 4, 3, 2, and 1 respectively. The instruments are validated by five experts. The study uses the Cronbach alpha reliability method to determine the internal consistency of the instruments. The analysis’s overall reliability index is 0.92. Data collection is carried out via 6 research assistants. The collected data is analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test, and analysis of variance statistics. The study discovers 27 items of gratifications affecting moral conducts. The study concludes that diversionary, personal relationship/identity, and surveillance gratifications affect the moral conducts of business education students in Nigerian Universities in a Post COVID-19 lockdown. The finding suggests that business education students should engage in online activities that are of moral benefits to them in particular and the society at large.