STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON PEER PRESSURE AS CORRELATE OF STUDY HABITS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, OGBOMOSO METROPOLIS, OYO STATE

ADERINTO, Sanjo; ADEBAYO, Beatrice Aransiola & MARTHA, A. Pwajok

Abstract

This paper examined students’ perception on peer pressure as correlate of study habits in public senior secondary schools, Ogbomoso Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational survey type of research design.  The population comprised all the public senior secondary school students in Ogbomoso, Metropolis, Oyo State. The target population were all SSS II. Five (5) out of eleven (11) public senior secondary schools were selected using simple random sampling technique, while from each of five (5) selected schools, 40 public SSS II were selected through purposive sampling technique totalling 200. Two researcher developed instruments were used to collect the necessary data from the respondents. The questionnaires tagged ‘‘Peer Pressure Scale (PPS) and Study Habits Scale (SHS)’’. The reliability of the instruments was determined through a pilot testing. A test-re-test method was used. The data obtained were analyzed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistic and the result indicated a correlation co-efficient of 0. 60 and 0.65 respectively. Frequent counts and Percentage was used to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) statistical technique was used to test the generated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The finding of this study revealed that there is High level of peer pressure among students in senior secondary schools. The finding also showed that there is Low level of study habits among students in senior secondary schools. Finally, the finding of the study showed that there is no significant relationship between peer pressure and study habits among students in senior secondary schools, Ogbomoso Metropolis, Oyo State. Recommendations were made such as counselling psychologists should use appropriate interventions such as group and individual counselling in order to help students develop and maintain good study habits and School counsellors should play a prominent and leading role in the matter of peer group influence by organizing lectures, seminars, career talk and symposiums that can create positive awareness on influence of peer pressure and students’ study habits.