Political Participation among Youths: Examining the Effects of Personality Traits and Social Media

Enyelunekpo R. Roberts; Joy Ogunka; Emmanuel E. Uye

doi:10.59890/ijarss.v3i5.40

Authors

Enyelunekpo R. Roberts Rivers State University
Joy Ogunka Rivers State University
Emmanuel E. Uye University of Ibadan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59890/ijarss.v3i5.40

Keywords:

Personality Traits, Social Media, Political Participation, Youths, Borokiri/Rivers State

Abstract

Youth has been on the forefront of political change in many African countries including Nigeria. Studies that have used different predictors of political participation among youths have produced different results. Therefore, the study examined personality traits and social media predicting political participation among youths in Borokiri, Rivers State. A cross–sectional survey design was utilized using purposive sampling technique to select the population. Validated questionnaires were adopted to conveniently collect data from 289 youths. Multiple regression analysis and independent samples t-test statistics were used to analyze data collected. The study tested two hypotheses which were accepted at p =.001 level of significance. The result revealed that personality traits and social media jointly predicted political participation among youths in Borokiri, Rivers State [R²= .083, F (2, 287) = 7.413, p =.001]. Also, the result showed social media to independently predict political participation among study participants (β = .288, t = 4.93, p <.05) while personality traits did not independently predict political participation among study samples (β = -.103, t = -.047, p >.05). Finally, gender was found to show a significant difference in political participation among study participants [t (289) =7.24, p =.001]. The study concluded that social media and gender were more influential in motivating political participation than personality traits among youths in Borokiri, Rivers State. It is recommended that both personality and political psychologists should profile and motivate youths to participate more in political activities than before in order to improve individuals and community well-being.

References

Awotayo, O.O., Oderinde, S.L., Olaniran, A.F., & Akinrinde, O.O.(2023). Low turnout in election in Nigeria: A call for better management of elections and government commitment to growing voter participation. Berjaya Journal of Services & Management, 20, 20-34 www.bjsm.com

Chatora, A. (March, 2012).Encouraging political participation in Africa: The potentials of social media platforms. In: Africa Portal. Retrieved September 29, 2024 from https://www.africaportal.org/publications/encouraging-political-participation-in-africa-the -potential-of social-media-platforms

Clerk, O. (2020). Low voter turnout among Nigerian youth: Challenges and the way forward. The Journal of Social Sciences Research, 6(2), 9-20.

Costa, P.T.Jr & McCrae, R.R.(2017). The NEO inventories as instruments of psychological theory. In The Oxford Handbook of the Five Factor Model, ed. T.A. Wiegler (New York). Oxford University Press, pp 191-216.

Gerber, A., Green, D. & Shachar, R. (2019).Voting May be Habit-forming: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment, Journal of Political Science 47(3)540-550.

Gerber, A.S. Huber, G.A., Doherty, D., & Dowling, C.M. (2016).Why people vote: Estimating the social returns to voting. British Journal of Political Sciences https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123414000271

Gerber, A.S., Huber, G.A., Doherty, D., & Dowling, C.M.( 2011). Personality traits and the consumption of political information. American Politics Research, 39(1), 32-84 https://doi.org/10.1177/1532673X10381466

Gonzalez-Nuevo, C., Cuesta, M., Postigo, A., Menender-Aller, A., & Mniz., J.(2023). Problematic social network use: Structure and assessment. International Journal of Mental & Addiction, 2, 2122-2137 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00711-y

Kotzé, H. (2021). The role of gender in youth political participation in Nigeria. Africa Spectrum, 56(1), 49-65.

Mano, R.. (2023) .Social media and civic participation: A gendered approach. Advances in Applied Sociology, 13, 587-603 https://doi.org/10.4236/aasoci.2023.138037

McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2015). Inventories for the NEO Personality Inventory. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 27-32 https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195366877.01

Mondak, J.J, Hibbing, M.V., Canache, D., Sligson, M.A., & Anderson, M.R.(2010). Personality and civic engagement: An integrative framework for the study of trait effects on political behaviour. American Political Science Review, 104, 85-110 www.apsr.com

Muntean, A. (2015). The impact of social media use of political participation. Aarhus University , Denmark.

Nwanesi, P.K., & Wasudawan, K. (2020).Gender, political participation and representation: The Nigerian story. Asian Journal of Education & Social Sciences,9(4),17-28 https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2020/v9i430252

Obisessan , O.F.(2022). 6-The ‘#tag generation’: Social media and youth participation in the 2019 general election in Nigeria. African Development, 47, (2) https://doi.org/10.57054/ad.v47i2.2202

Ogunka, J. (2022). Personality factor and social media as predictors to political participation among youth in Rivers State. BSc. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, Rivers State University.

Omotayo, F.O. & Folorunso, M.B. (2020). Use of social media for political participation by youths in Oyo State, Nigeria. JeDEM 12(1), 133-158 https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v12i1.585

Pullmann, H., Raudsepp, L., & Allik, J.(2006). Stability and change in adolescents’ personality: A longitudinal study. European Journal of personality,20 (6), 447-459 https://doi.org/10.1002/per.611

Roberts, E.R., Nwokomgbe, D.I. & Uye, E. E. (2024). Election participation among Ikwerre ethnic group in Nigeria: Do social media and personal belief counts? Islamic University Journal of Social Sciences, 3(3), 1-14

Shehu, E. A. (2014). A study of factors that influenced voters‟ behaviour: A case of Billiri local government (2014 general elections). Unpublished BSc. thesis, Gombe State University, Gombe.

Sule, B., Sani, M., & Mat, B., (2017). Political behaviour and voting pattern in Nigeria: A study of the 2015 Presidential election. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences. 4(4)