The Influence of Proliferation of Technology on Social Interactions Among Undergraduate Students at Selected Universities in Nigeria

Abstract

The advent of technology has resulted in an information explosion and has affected all aspects of human behaviors. The advent of technology does not only affected communication, but also social conditions, on-going economic change, new political trends, and cultural shifts over time. Academic institutions house an entire generation of young students whom have used technology throughout their lives. The article explores the proliferation of technology on social Interactions and also answered how the proliferation of technology hindered nursing students' interaction. A survey was administered to 101 undergraduate students at selected universities in Nigeria. Students were asked some questions regarding their technology use, habits, and perceptions of face-to-face communication in the presence of technology. Simple random sampling (balloting) method was used to select the undergraduate program that was included in the study. Convenience sampling method was used to select the respondents that participated in the study. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of frequencies counts and percentages. Majority of students felt the quality of their conversations tarnished in the presence of technology. Many of the participants were bothered when friends or family used technology while spending time together. A good percentage of survey respondents communicate more frequently with friends and family via technology than in person, indicating that face-to-face interactions have decreased both in quality and in quantity. This article will help both students and instructors to plan well on how to achieve educational objectives using a mix between traditional pedagogy and technology (in a constructivist approach).