Peer Influence and Information Sharing Behaviour of Library and Information Science by Undergraduates in Selected Federal Universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the impact of peer influence and information sharing behaviour of Library and
Information Science LIS undergraduates in selected federal universities in South-western Nigeria. The
study aimed to explore how peer-influence, affect the willingness and frequency of information
exchange among students. The reflective nature of peer influence is visible in the information sharing
habits of present day’s undergraduates in this field. Peer influence allows undergraduates updates to
express the information clearly, concentrate attentively on classmates and actively participate in wideranging discussion and group projects. The study adopted descriptive survey design of the
correlational type, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from a stratified sample of
undergraduates across the two universities. The total enumeration method was used for the study. The
result shows that some of the information sharing behaviour exhibited include: use of blogs or
personal websites to share information; preference in favour of face-to-face interactions for sharing
information; An extension of the analysis along the five domains of peer influence among
undergraduates shows that conformity is the most dominant domain, followed by anxiety; comparism;
self-esteem and boldness respectively. The findings of the study showed that peer influence was found
to significantly affect the nature and reliability of shared information. The study highlights that peer
groups often influence both the motivation to share information and the selection of platforms for
information exchange. The study concluded that, positive peer influence is essential for fostering
effective information-sharing behavior among LIS undergraduates. Recommendations include,
institutions should encourage peer-led activities such as study groups, mentorship programmes, and
collaborative projects. These initiatives can leverage positive peer influence to enhance students'
academic engagement and information-sharing behaviors.