Abstract

This paper focused on the factors affecting the readership of erotic novels among the students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). There are growing concerns that unchecked readership of romance literature in an age of information explosion will have negative effects on the morality and academic performance of university students. The paper sought to ascertain the factors that determine exposure to romance literature as well as the influences of erotic novels on the views of students on sex and romance. It adopted the survey method, and thus used the simple and stratified random sampling techniques to select 344 respondents from nine faculties and 18 departments in UNN. Findings indicated that readership of erotic novels was high. More female students (44.5%) than male students (24.1%) read erotic novels. Peer influence, escape from boredom and desire for sexual gratification ranked high as factors that influenced exposure to erotic novels. The paper underscored the need to create in students the impression of restraint and responsible freedom in the kinds of novels they read, especially in the face of easy access to online novels. Students need directions on the type and sources of literature they can use to fill the needs for sex education.

Key Words: Influence, Erotic, Sexual Behaviour, Youths, Media

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*Michael Onyekachi Ukonu, Ph.D., is of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

**Nkiru Odikpo is of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, April  2017, 85 – 95