Social Media, Attitudinal Change and Youth Involvement in Political Processes

Abstract

The study investigated youth perception and attitude towards voting, 
the impact of social media on voting behaviour, motivating factors for 
voting, and gender differences in youth participation in the 2023 
general election. It applied the use and gratification theory, which 
suggests that individuals actively seek media content that fulfils their 
needs. A phenomenological design was employed to gain an in-depth 
understanding of participants' experiences and perceptions. Data was 
collected through in-depth interviews conducted in three phases: 
before, during, and after the 2023 general election in Nigeria. 
Purposeful sampling was used to select diverse participants engaged in 
political activities, with recruitment conducted through social media 
platforms. An interview guide with clear and open-ended questions was 
developed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The study 
findings indicate that youth have diverse motivations and 
considerations for their participation in the upcoming election, with 
social media influencing their perceptions and decisions. Concerns 
about electoral fraud and youth discouragement were expressed,emphasising the importance of transparency and youth empowerment 
for increased participation in future elections. The results reflect a 
combination of optimism and scepticism regarding youth engagement 
in the electoral process. Based on the study findings, it was 
recommended that there is need for implementing comprehensive civic 
education programmes, improving transparency and accountability in 
elections, promoting youth representation through affirmative action 
and mentorship, addressing youth-specific concerns, utilising social 
media for political education, fostering youth collaboration and 
networking, addressing electoral violence and intimidation, and 
conducting long-term monitoring and evaluation.