Project – The Impact of Social Media Use on Self-Esteem and Interpersonal Relationships Among University Students in Jos

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The rapid development of information and communication technology has significantly transformed the way people communicate, socialize, obtain information and construct relationships. One of the most visible manifestations of this transformation is the emergence and widespread adoption of social media. Social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and Telegram have become important channels through which individuals communicate, share information, express opinions, maintain friendships and participate in social communities. Unlike traditional forms of communication, social media allows users to interact almost instantly across geographical boundaries and to participate actively in the creation and dissemination of content.

The growth of social media has been particularly significant among young adults and university students. University students generally constitute a population with relatively high access to smartphones, mobile internet and digital communication platforms. For many students, social media is integrated into everyday activities, including academic communication, entertainment, news consumption, friendship, networking and self-expression. Consequently, social media is no longer simply a technological tool; it has become an important part of the social environment within which young people develop their identities and maintain interpersonal relationships.

The development of social networking sites has changed the nature of interpersonal communication. Boyd and Ellison (2007) define social network sites as web-based services that enable individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile, articulate connections with other users and view their networks and those of others within the system. Such platforms allow individuals to maintain relationships even when they are physically separated. Social media therefore provides opportunities for university students to maintain contact with family members, classmates and friends, establish new relationships and participate in communities based on shared interests.

The social dimension of social media is particularly important among university students because the university period represents a major stage of social and psychological development. Students are often away from their families for the first time and are required to develop new social networks and adapt to new academic and cultural environments. During this period, relationships with peers become important sources of emotional support, belonging and identity development. Social media can facilitate this process by providing students with continuous access to their existing social networks and enabling them to develop new relationships.

Research conducted specifically among University of Jos students demonstrates the importance of social media in students’ communication patterns. Olaniran (2014) found that Twitter served both as a social forum and a news outlet for University of Jos students. The study also reported that students used the platform for maintaining social relationships with fellow students within and outside the university. This finding is relevant to the present study because it shows that social media has already become part of the social and communicative environment of university students in Jos.

Social media can also provide substantial benefits to students. Through social networking platforms, students can communicate with classmates about lectures and assignments, participate in academic groups, obtain information about university activities and maintain relationships with friends and family. A 2023 study of Library and Information Science students at the University of Jos reported that students used social media for different purposes, including connecting with other people and collaborating on assignments and lecture notes, although social media was also identified as a possible distraction. Similarly, research involving public university students in Nigeria found that WhatsApp and Telegram were used as learning-support platforms, with social influence and other contextual factors contributing to students’ adoption of these platforms for educational purposes.

Despite these benefits, increasing social media use has generated concerns about its possible effects on psychological well-being and interpersonal functioning. One important psychological variable associated with social media use is self-esteem. Self-esteem refers broadly to an individual’s evaluation or sense of personal worth. Rosenberg (1965) conceptualized self-esteem as a person’s overall positive or negative orientation toward the self. A healthy level of self-esteem can contribute to confidence, resilience and positive social functioning, whereas low self-esteem may be associated with feelings of inadequacy, insecurity and negative self-evaluation.

Social media may influence self-esteem because users are continuously exposed to information about the activities, appearance, achievements, relationships and lifestyles of other people. Social comparison theory suggests that individuals evaluate themselves partly by comparing themselves with others (Festinger, 1954). On social media, opportunities for such comparisons are particularly frequent because users can observe carefully selected photographs, achievements, possessions, social experiences and other forms of self-presentation. When students repeatedly compare their lives with idealized representations of others, they may develop perceptions that they are less successful, attractive, socially connected or accomplished.

The phenomenon of social comparison is particularly relevant because social media content is often selective rather than a complete representation of an individual’s life. Users commonly present positive experiences and desirable aspects of themselves while leaving out difficulties and failures. Consequently, students who compare their everyday experiences with the carefully presented lives of others may make unrealistic comparisons. This may negatively influence their self-evaluation.

Empirical research supports the existence of an association between social networking site use and self-esteem, although the relationship is not uniformly negative. Liu and Baumeister (2016), in a meta-analysis, examined the relationship between social network site use and self-esteem and reported evidence that the nature of social networking experiences can be important in understanding self-evaluative outcomes. More recently, Boursier et al. (2020) conducted a meta-analytic review involving 121 independent samples and 91,462 participants and found a small but statistically significant negative relationship between social networking site use and self-esteem (r = −.079). The relationship was stronger for problematic forms of social media use.

This finding is important because it indicates that social media use should not automatically be considered harmful to self-esteem. The effect may depend on how social media is used, the amount and nature of engagement, the psychological characteristics of users and the kinds of social experiences encountered online. For example, active communication with friends and participation in supportive communities may provide social support, whereas excessive passive browsing, social comparison and dependence on online approval may produce less favourable outcomes.

Recent evidence further reinforces the importance of distinguishing ordinary social media use from problematic or addictive use. Zhang et al. (2025), in a systematic review and meta-analysis of 32 studies involving 26,166 students, found a negative association between social media addiction and self-esteem (r = −.24). The study also found positive relationships between social media addiction and anxiety, depression, loneliness and fear of missing out. These findings suggest that excessive or problematic engagement may be more strongly associated with negative psychological outcomes than social media use generally.

Another important dimension of the present study is interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal relationships refer to the connections and interactions individuals maintain with other people. Among university students, these relationships may involve friendships, classmates, romantic relationships, family relationships, roommates and other social contacts. Healthy interpersonal relationships are generally characterized by effective communication, trust, cooperation, emotional support and mutual respect.

Social media can influence interpersonal relationships in both positive and negative ways. On the positive side, social media enables students to maintain contact with friends and family regardless of physical distance. Students can share experiences, provide emotional support, celebrate achievements and communicate during difficult situations. For students who have moved away from their home communities to attend university, such connectivity may help reduce feelings of social isolation.

On the other hand, excessive reliance on online communication may alter the quality of face-to-face interactions. A student who spends substantial amounts of time communicating through social media may have less time for direct interpersonal interaction. Furthermore, misunderstandings can occur because online communication often lacks some of the non-verbal cues available in face-to-face communication. Social media may also create opportunities for conflict through public comments, misunderstood messages, jealousy, exclusion and disagreements about online posts.

The relationship between social media use and interpersonal relationships is therefore complex. Verduyn et al. (2017), in a systematic review of research on social networking sites and well-being, argued that the effects of social network site use depend substantially on how users engage with these platforms. Active forms of use that facilitate direct interaction may produce different outcomes from passive consumption of other people’s content. This distinction is especially relevant to university students because the same platform may be used by one student primarily to communicate with friends while another uses it primarily to observe other people’s activities.

The issue of social media and interpersonal relationships is also particularly relevant in Jos. Olaniran’s (2014) study of University of Jos students found that Twitter was used to form and maintain social relationships, including the exchange of private information and experiences. This demonstrates that social media has become integrated into the social relationships of students in the Jos environment.

Research in the University of Jos environment has continued to show that students’ social relationships and psychological experiences are important areas of investigation. A 2025 study involving 370 undergraduates at the University of Jos examined emotional intelligence, counselling support and healthy interpersonal relationships and reported that emotional intelligence significantly contributed to healthy interpersonal relationships, while counselling support improved students’ conflict-resolution and communication skills. Although that study did not specifically examine social media, its findings demonstrate the importance of interpersonal relationships among University of Jos undergraduates and provide a relevant context for investigating factors that may shape those relationships.

The relationship between social media and interpersonal relationships can also be understood through the Social Comparison Theory proposed by Festinger (1954). Individuals have a tendency to evaluate their opinions and abilities by comparing themselves with others. Social media dramatically increases the frequency and accessibility of such comparisons because users can observe the activities and achievements of hundreds or thousands of people. University students may compare their academic achievements, physical appearance, social life, relationships, financial circumstances and lifestyle with those displayed by peers online. Such comparisons may influence both how students perceive themselves and how they relate to others.

The Uses and Gratifications perspective also provides an important explanation for students’ social media behaviour. Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch (1973) argued that media users are active participants who select media to satisfy particular needs, including information, entertainment, personal identity and social interaction. From this perspective, students do not simply consume social media passively; they use it to meet specific social and psychological needs. A student may use WhatsApp to communicate with classmates, Instagram for entertainment and self-presentation, YouTube for information and TikTok for recreation. The psychological consequences of these different patterns of use may therefore vary.

The university environment makes these issues particularly important because students are at a stage of increasing independence and identity development. University life involves academic pressure, changing friendships, new social expectations and decisions about future careers. Social media may become a means through which students seek information, validation, companionship and emotional support. However, excessive dependence on online feedback may also make students vulnerable to concerns about social acceptance and self-worth.

Another concern is fear of missing out (FoMO), which refers to the persistent desire to remain connected with what others are doing and the apprehension that one may be missing rewarding experiences. Przybylski et al. (2013) demonstrated the relevance of FoMO to social media engagement. Students who frequently check social media may do so because they fear missing important social events, conversations or information. This constant checking can contribute to increased engagement and may influence students’ emotional experiences and interpersonal behaviour.

The increasing availability of smartphones has further intensified this issue. Social media is no longer restricted to periods when individuals sit at a computer. Mobile devices allow students to access social media almost continuously, including during lectures, meals, social gatherings and personal interactions. This constant accessibility can blur the boundary between online and offline social life.

In Jos, this issue is particularly worthy of investigation because university students operate within a distinctive social and cultural environment. The city hosts major higher education institutions, including the University of Jos, and students interact with people from diverse ethnic, religious, socioeconomic and geographical backgrounds. Social media provides a common digital space where these diverse students communicate and form social networks. At the same time, students may experience different patterns of social media use depending on their academic discipline, age, gender, socioeconomic circumstances and personal characteristics.

The need for context-specific research is further demonstrated by the fact that previous studies in Jos have largely focused on social media utilization, communication patterns, academic performance or specific psychological variables. For example, Olaniran (2014) examined Twitter use and communication patterns among University of Jos students, while other research has examined social media and academic performance. However, there is comparatively less direct evidence examining the combined relationship between social media use, self-esteem and interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos.

Furthermore, existing research shows that the relationship between social media use and psychological outcomes is not simple or universally negative. A recent systematic review of social media use among adults identified relationships involving self-esteem, well-being, loneliness, anxiety, depression, fear of missing out and social anxiety, while also noting methodological limitations such as reliance on cross-sectional studies and self-report measures. A 2024 meta-analysis similarly concluded that findings concerning social networking site use and subjective well-being have been inconsistent and may depend on how social media use is measured and on moderating factors.

Therefore, it is important to investigate social media use within a specific population and geographical setting rather than assuming that findings from other countries or populations automatically apply to university students in Jos. Understanding the local experience may provide useful information about how students’ online activities relate to their self-perceptions and relationships with other people.

Against this background, the present study focuses on the impact of social media use on self-esteem and interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos. The study seeks to examine the extent of students’ social media use and determine whether and how such use is associated with their self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. The study also recognizes that social media can have both beneficial and adverse consequences, depending on patterns of use and the social and psychological characteristics of individual users.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Social media has become an important part of contemporary university students’ daily lives. Students use platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube to communicate with friends, participate in academic groups, obtain information, entertain themselves and express their opinions. In Jos, evidence from University of Jos students indicates that social media has become an important medium for social interaction and information exchange. Olaniran (2014) found that Twitter functioned as both a social forum and a source of news among University of Jos students.

Although social media provides numerous benefits, concerns have emerged about the possible psychological and interpersonal consequences of excessive or inappropriate use. One major concern is the possible reduction in self-esteem. University students are frequently exposed to carefully selected images and information about other people’s appearance, achievements, relationships, possessions and lifestyles. Continuous exposure to such content may encourage social comparison and cause some students to perceive themselves as inadequate or less successful than others.

The problem is particularly important because self-esteem plays an important role in students’ social and psychological functioning. Students with low self-esteem may experience insecurity, self-doubt and difficulty establishing healthy relationships. If social media contributes to negative self-evaluation through excessive social comparison, dependence on likes and comments, or exposure to idealized lifestyles, it may have implications for students’ overall social adjustment.

Empirical evidence, however, does not support the assumption that all social media use necessarily lowers self-esteem. Boursier et al. (2020) found only a small negative association between social networking site use and self-esteem across 121 independent samples, while noting that the relationship was stronger for problematic social media use. Similarly, Zhang et al. (2025) found a stronger negative association between social media addiction and self-esteem among students. These findings create an important research problem: the effect may depend not simply on whether students use social media, but on the intensity, purpose and nature of their use.

A second concern involves interpersonal relationships. Social media has made it easier for students to communicate continuously with friends and family. However, heavy dependence on online interaction may affect the quality and frequency of face-to-face relationships. Students may become more concerned with online interactions than direct communication, or may experience conflicts arising from online comments, messages, posts, photographs and perceived exclusion.

At the same time, it would be inappropriate to assume that social media necessarily damages interpersonal relationships. Students may use social media to maintain relationships that would otherwise weaken because of geographical distance. Olaniran’s study of University of Jos students found that social media was used to form and maintain relationships with other students and to share personal information and experiences. Therefore, the problem is not simply whether social media is good or bad for interpersonal relationships, but rather how patterns of social media use influence the quality of students’ relationships.

There is also a problem of excessive or problematic use. When students spend substantial amounts of time checking social media, responding to messages or following online activities, their engagement may become difficult to regulate. Recent evidence from a meta-analysis of 32 studies involving 26,166 students found that social media addiction was negatively associated with self-esteem and positively associated with loneliness, anxiety, depression and fear of missing out. This suggests that problematic use may represent a more important concern than ordinary social media participation.

The problem is also relevant to the Nigerian and specifically Jos context. Previous studies have examined social media use among University of Jos students, including its communication and academic dimensions. However, there remains a need for research that simultaneously examines self-esteem and interpersonal relationships as important psychosocial outcomes of social media use among university students in Jos.

Another important gap is that social media platforms and patterns of use continue to change. Earlier studies of University of Jos students focused heavily on platforms such as Twitter, whereas contemporary students increasingly use multiple platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other emerging platforms. Consequently, findings from earlier studies may not completely capture the current social media environment experienced by university students.

There is therefore a need to establish empirical evidence concerning whether the amount and pattern of social media use among university students in Jos are significantly related to their self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. Without such evidence, parents, university administrators, counsellors and other stakeholders may find it difficult to develop appropriate interventions or guidance programmes concerning students’ social media behaviour.

The central problem of this study, therefore, is the uncertainty surrounding the extent to which social media use affects the self-esteem and interpersonal relationships of university students in Jos. The study seeks to provide empirical evidence that can clarify this relationship and contribute to a better understanding of the psychological and social implications of social media use among university students.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The general purpose of this study is to examine the impact of social media use on self-esteem and interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos.

Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. examine the extent and pattern of social media use among university students in Jos;
2. determine the level of self-esteem among university students in Jos;
3. examine the relationship between social media use and self-esteem among university students in Jos;
4. determine the influence of social media use on interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos; and

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What is the extent and pattern of social media use among university students in Jos?
2. What is the level of self-esteem among university students in Jos?
3. What relationship exists between social media use and self-esteem among university students in Jos?
4. To what extent does social media use influence interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no significant relationship between social media use and self-esteem and interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to university students, parents, counsellors, university administrators, lecturers, policymakers and researchers.

University Students: The findings will help students understand the possible psychological and social consequences of their social media habits. It may encourage responsible use of social networking platforms and greater awareness of the effects of excessive social comparison, online validation and problematic engagement.

Parents and Guardians: The study will provide parents with information concerning the ways social media may influence young adults’ self-perceptions and relationships. This may help parents provide appropriate guidance while respecting the increasing independence of university students.

University Counsellors: The findings may assist counsellors in identifying social media-related issues that affect students’ self-esteem, social adjustment and interpersonal relationships. The findings may also contribute to counselling programmes on responsible digital behaviour, self-confidence, social comparison and healthy relationships.

University Administrators: University authorities may use the findings in developing student welfare programmes, digital literacy initiatives and counselling interventions designed to promote healthy technology use and positive student relationships.

Lecturers: Lecturers may benefit from understanding the social and psychological environment in which students learn. Knowledge of students’ social media habits may help lecturers communicate more effectively with students and identify possible social factors affecting students’ engagement.

Policymakers: The findings may contribute to discussions concerning digital well-being and responsible social media use among young adults in higher education.

Researchers: The study will contribute to the literature on social media, self-esteem and interpersonal relationships in Nigeria. It may provide a basis for future studies involving other universities, geographical locations, age groups and psychological variables.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the impact of social media use on self-esteem and interpersonal relationships among university students in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Geographically, the study is limited to selected university students in Jos. The population of interest comprises undergraduate students because they constitute a major group of young adults actively involved in social media communication and university social life.

The major independent variable is social media use, while the dependent variables are self-esteem and interpersonal relationships.

Social media use will be examined in terms of frequency of use, duration of use, platforms used and purposes for which students engage with social media. Self-esteem will focus on students’ general evaluation and perception of their personal worth, competence and adequacy. Interpersonal relationships will focus on the quality of students’ interactions with friends, classmates, family members and other significant persons.

The study does not attempt to examine all possible factors that may affect self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. Variables such as personality, family background, socioeconomic status, academic performance, mental health conditions and offline social experiences may also influence the dependent variables but are not the primary focus of the study.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Interpersonal Relationships: The social connections and interactions students maintain with friends, classmates, family members, romantic partners and other significant individuals, including communication, trust, cooperation, support and conflict.

Jos: The capital city of Plateau State, Nigeria, and the geographical setting in which the universities and respondents covered by this study are located.

Self-Esteem: An individual’s overall evaluation, perception and sense of personal worth, adequacy and value.

Social Comparison: The psychological process through which individuals evaluate their own abilities, achievements, appearance or circumstances by comparing themselves with other people.

Social Media: Internet-based platforms that enable users to create, share, receive and interact with content and communicate with other users, including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube and Telegram.

Social Media Use: The frequency, duration, purpose and manner in which university students access and interact with social media platforms.

Social Media Addiction/Problematic Social Media Use: A pattern of excessive or poorly controlled social media engagement that interferes with an individual’s daily functioning, relationships or well-being.

University Students: Undergraduate students enrolled in universities located within Jos who constitute the target population of this study.

Project – The Impact of Social Media Use on Self-Esteem and Interpersonal Relationships Among University Students in Jos