Assessing the Influence of Unverified Instagram Blog Content on the Cognitive and Behavioral Pattern of Undergraduates: An Empirical Study of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)

Abstract

The proliferation of unverified Instagram blog content in Nigeria raises concerns about the credibility and trustworthiness of information disseminated through this medium and unverified contents on Instagram blogs lack proper fact-checking, leading to the spread of misinformation, rumors, and fake news which is why this research investigated the impact of unverified Instagram blogs’ contents on Nigerian Undergraduates in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The study adopted the gratifications theory, which suggests that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media and that the user has alternate choices to satisfy their need. The study also adopted a survey research method to conduct the study through the use of questionnaire. The research sample size turned out to be 543 respondents but only 403 respondents completed the questionnaire from three selected faculties, which translated to a response rate of over 74%. The statistical analysis was carried out using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 20). The study findings revealed high level of agreement among respondents regarding their engagement with Instagram blogs, mirrored by a weighted mean of 4.04. Additionally, the study also revealed a moderate level of agreement among with a weighted mean of 3.57 regarding respondent’s perception and attitude towards Instagram blogs’ contents. Moreover, the majority of respondent agreed that exposure to unverified information on instagram can negatively influence students’ academic performance, reflected by a weighted mean of 3.99. The research recommended that a supportive online environment should be prioritized as a fundamental intervention strategy to enhance the cognitive and behavioral pattern of undergraduate students’ such as awareness campaigns, digital programs and peer support network as well as inaugurating promotion of positive engagement is essential to counteract the prevalence of objectifying content on social media platforms. This study, therefore, concludes that unverified information on social media platform such as instagram can influence students’ engagement, perceptive, attitude and academic performance.