Social media has a significant influence on the social behavior of especially female students. This is according to research findings of the North West University’s Most Productive Junior Researcher for 2017, who was announced last week.
Senior lecturer of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Mafikeng Campus, Dr Josh Chukweure is active in the field of technology acceptance, and found that social media even determines how the so-called “generation Y and Z”, fall in love.
Students spend up to five hours each day on social media. Chukweure, identifying a research gap, probed students about how social media influences their choice in a partner.
The majority of the more than 270 participants in his study said social media, has opened a new door to finding love.
“It had an impact on how they perceive the other gender, and what they are looking for. And how they were able to decide on dating someone and stuff like they that. So social media can assist in terms of making choices and deciding who to date and who not to date.”
Respondents also indicated that social media strengthens long distance relationships, but increases jealousy.
Concurring Chukweure’s findings, students say their online lives differ substantially from their real ones.
“On social media, we try to be this happy people than we are in real life. So behind closed doors, we are more sad than we are on social media.”
It is also difficult to retain African culture because of increased exposure to Western influence.
“When you look at our backgrounds… we’re not exposed to what social media offers. But when you look at the western cultures, you can see we want to adopt what they are doing and what they are wearing on their social media platforms.”
Chukweure’s hard work has been rewarded. The 35 years old has already published 24 research papers.
