| Abstract: |
This study examined Warri youths' perception of misogynistic
humour in digital media content. The specific objectives were to
identify the forms of misogynistic humour in digital media content
perceived by youths in Warri, examine the extent to which they are
exposed to such content, determine their perception of misogynistic
humour, and identify the factors influencing their perception. The
study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population
comprised youths residing in Warri, Delta State. Using the Taro
Yamane formula at a 5% level of precision, a sample size of 400
respondents was selected through a simple random sampling
technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, of
which 396 copies were returned, while 4 copies were lost, resulting
in a response rate of 99%. The data were analysed using mean and
standard deviation, with a benchmark mean of 2.50 for decisionmaking. The findings revealed that Warri youths commonly
perceive misogynistic humour through sexist jokes, degrading
memes, and comedy skits that portray women negatively. The study
also found that respondents are highly exposed to misogynistic
humour across different digital media platforms. Furthermore, the
findings showed that while many youths recognise misogynistic
humour as offensive and capable of reinforcing harmful gender
stereotypes, some still view it as a normal form of entertainment.
The study equally revealed that social media culture, peer influence,
cultural beliefs, and repeated exposure to digital content
significantly shape youths' perception of misogynistic humour. The
study concluded that misogynistic humour remains a common
feature of digital media content and has the potential to influence
young people's attitudes towards women and gender relations. It
therefore recommended increased digital media literacy,
responsible content creation, stronger moderation of harmful
content by social media platforms, and sustained public
enlightenment on the consequences of gender-stereotypical humour.
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