AMCAP Journal of Media and Communication Studies - Lahore

Journal of Media and Communication Studies

Association of Media and Communication Academic Professionals (AMCAP)
ISSN (online): 2789-9756

The Interplay of Social Media in Normalizing Youth Cognition About Drugs: A Social Learning Perspective

  • Sumera Batool/
  • Nimra Zaffer/
  • Muhammad Bilal Nawaz/
  • July 10, 2024
Keywords
Cognitive behavior, Youths’ perception, social learning theory, social media, drugs representation
Abstract

This study explored the normalization of youths’ perception regarding drugs at the handsofsocial media. The theoretical framework of this study draws upon the incidental exposure framework and the risk perception of health behavior to map out the penetration of increasing drugs’ representation on social media into the cognitive behavior of youth.Considering the quantitative nature of current study, the researchers virtually circulated thequestionnaire among conveniently available 270 young social media users of Lahore — aged 16to 25. The chi-square test on obtained responses approved the hypothesis — there’s a strong association between social media usage and normalization of users’ perception about drugs.Further data analysis suggested that the representation of drugs’ consumption paves the waytoward the normalization of youths’ perception about drugs.Not to mention, the depiction of these substances is not solely limited to one’s own social circle;instead,many influential people — particularly social media celebrities— alsoflaunt their smoking/drinkingvideos/images which collectively makes the latter one appear as a common practice—something that everyone must try!!!

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Author(s):

Associate Professor, Department of Mass Communication, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan

  • sumerabatoolnaqvi@yahoo.com

Visiting Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, LCWU, Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan

  • nimrazaffer@fccollege.edu.pk

Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication, LCWU, Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan

Details:

Type: Article
Volume: 4
Issue: 2
Language: English
Id: 668d4452257d0
Published July 10, 2024

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