Abstract:
Online communities have become one of the internet based social activities that influence
People's lifestyles in various ways. A lot of research activities have shown significant impact of these new ‘social circles’ particularly on relationship among friends and family members. This study focused on the perceived influence of individual participation in online communities on Nigerian families. A descriptive survey research method was employed on a sample of 175 Subjects, randomly selected from among the students and staff of University of Nigeria Nsukka. Three research questions guided the study. The findings show that contrary to pessimistic views of some researches conducted on other socio-cultural environments, virtual community participation has helped to add value to the social relationships of internet users in Nigeria.
