INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR AMONG YOUTH IN BENUE STATE

ABSTRACT The study investigated the influence of social media on violent behaviour among youth in Benue State. The specific objectives included identifying the social media platforms to which youth in the area are exposed, examining the types of messages they willingly engage with on these platforms, ascertaining the level of their exposure, and assessing the influence these messages have on shaping youth attitudes and behaviours. Cultivation Theory, developed by George Gerbner and Larry Gross in the 1970s, served as the theoretical framework for this study. A survey research design was employed, with the sample size calculated using Taro Yamane's (1967) formula for sample size determination. A multi-stage sampling approach was used to select a representative sample from the population.The researcher used questionnaires to elicit information from the respondents. Data for this study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Structured questionnaires were employed to gather quantitative data, which were analyzed using simple tables and percentages, providing a clear numerical overview of respondents' perspectives. The study revealed that WhatsApp is the most popular social media platform among youth in Benue State. Additionally, respondents engage with social media several times a day, with platforms like YouTube and TikTok playing a crucial role in providing accessible educational content. Furthermore, respondents frequently encounter news and current events on social media, highlighting the importance of platforms like Twitter for social justice discussions. Lastly, the study indicates a high exposure to violent or aggressive content on social media, which significantly influences real-life aggressive behaviour,showing a link between high social media involvement and deviant behaviour.