PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ON STUDENT’S DRESSING PATTERNS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR

Boniface Erungworo Odey, (PhD), Vera Ifunanya Umeh, Peter Ushie Ushie, Bisong Monica Erima-Sunny

Abstract


In recent times, the evolving dressing patterns of female students in most Nigerian public universities have raised serious concern, prompting institutions to introduce dress regulations that are increasingly overshadowed by the strong influence of modern fashion trends. This study examined public perceptions of social media and its influence on the dress patterns of female undergraduate students at the University of Calabar. Adopting a descriptive survey design, data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 400 respondents selected from a population of 19,854 female students registered for the 2023/2024 academic session. The study was anchored on the Social Comparison Theory, Social Influence Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory. Data were analyzed using quantitative methods involving numerical tables and bar charts. Findings revealed that most female undergraduates are exposed to multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Telegram, email, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and podcast videos. The results further showed that social media exerts a negative influence on the fashion preferences of female students, reshaping how they perceive and follow fashion trends, with many now regarding indecent dressing as fashionable and trendy. Based on these findings, the study recommends that female students should consciously use social media to emulate dress patterns that are morally acceptable within their institutions and society. It also recommends that the National Press Council (NPC) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) should extend their regulatory oversight to foreign media content accessible in Nigeria in order to prevent the dissemination of indecent materials to the public.


Keywords


Public Perceptions, Social Media, Female Students Dress Patterns

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