Influence of Western Music Videos on Sexual Behaviour Attitudes Among UNN Female Students

The pervasive global distribution of Western music videos through YouTube, Boomplay, and social media platforms has intensified scholarly concern about the sexual socialisation of young female audiences in African cultural contexts, where traditional norms of sexual modesty coexist with increasing media liberalisation. This study examined the influence of Western music video content on sexual behaviour attitudes among female undergraduate students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The study was anchored on the Cultivation Theory, which posits that sustained exposure to consistent media messages gradually shapes audience perceptions of social norms, including those related to sexuality and romantic relationships. A survey research design was adopted, targeting a population of 6,200 female students at UNN. A sample of 362 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling, and a structured questionnaire was administered to assess Western music video consumption and sexual attitude dimensions. Findings revealed a significant positive correlation between high-frequency Western music video consumption and permissive attitudes toward pre-marital sexual activity, casual sexual relationships, and body sexualisation. Respondents with high consumption rates were significantly more likely to endorse attitudes reflecting Western sexual liberalism compared to low-consumption respondents. Parental communication and religious affiliation partially moderated the relationship between media consumption and sexual attitudes. The study concluded that Western music video content exerts measurable cultivating influence on the sexual attitudes of UNN female students, with implications for reproductive health policy. It was recommended that the institution integrate media literacy into student orientation and that parents maintain active communication about media content with their children.
Keywords: Western music videos, sexual attitudes, cultivation theory, UNN female students, media influence