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THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN SOCIALIZING CHILDREN (A CASE STUDY OF EDO STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Media has turned the world into a global village. It is prominent tool and a best means of one way communication. So, it’s being widely used for everything and for any purpose. It has been playing a significant role in most of all social, political and development sectors due to its power to influence on attitude and behaviour of general public and its outstanding role to design planned and policy on national and international level. Offer the re-advent of democracy in Nepal, the uses of media are intense in every aspect of social, political and economic development. Similarly, media is also playing a major role in promotion of children development. The media have made children more sociable in Edo state and every other city in Nigeria in which children are exposed to the activities of the media.

The term mass media s defined as a means of communication that operate on a large scale reaching and involving virtually everyone in a society to a great or lesser degree. Mass coverage on childhood socialization cannot be over looked. The term socialization is the process of learning interpersonal and  interactional skills that conform with the values of one's society. (Stedman’s MedicalDictionary). Again, Socialization is a term used by sociologists, social psychologists, anthropologists,  political scientists  and  educationalists to refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs and ideologies, providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own society. Socialization is thus ‘the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained’. Childhood socialization can be categorized into Primary and secondary. Primary socialization occurs when a child learns the attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture. Primary socialization  for a child is very important because it sets the groundwork for all future socialization. Secondary socialization refers to the process of learning what is the appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller group within the larger society.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Nigeria can be described as a country that respects culture as well as tradition. Over socialization on the part of children can disregard or disrespect the traditional belief of Nigeria. The influence of the media on the social and psychosocial development of children is profound. Thus, it is important for experts and physicians to discuss with parents their child’s exposure to media and to provide guidance on age-appropriate use of all media, including television, radio, music, video games and the Internet. Today, television particularly movies has become a leading sex educator for children in Nigeria. This is a problem that is difficult to control.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

There is no research work that will be completed without achieving the researcher’s aims and objectives based on the subject matters. Therefore, this segment has played an important role in this chapter one as it aids the reader to the researcher’s target goals at the end of this work.

The objectives of this research are to explore the benefits and the impact of the media on children’s socialization and to identify how media experts can counsel parents and promote the healthy use of the media in their communities.

The media evidently has a noticeable impact on our lives and behaviours and especially the children and the weak-minded people in our society. In a short span of time, most children can imitate a movie character, sing an advertising song, or show other impressions of what they learn from media. 

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This segment of a research project is interesting as it offers the researcher the opportunity to ask and or present question that are relevant and related to the subject matter.  At this point, let us make a look at the following questions in other to enable us capture the researcher’s intention towards this the role of mass media in childhood socialization.

1. Do the media have direct impact on the social development of children?

2. Does the society or the government support the media in the development of children’s social life?

3. Do the media have negative effect of the life of children?

4. Do the media expose children to early sex?

5. Are the children that have access to the media more socialized?

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research is limited to children and the mass media that is, observing the role of the mass media on childhood socialization within the context of Edo state.

1.6   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

One of the major problems encountered by the researcher is the monetary problem. There was no sufficient money to make the purchasing of all necessary materials for the research work. There was also the problem of meeting some personalities to get information from them. Because of that, the researcher found it difficult to collect all the necessary information. Time on the other hand was a big limitation as the researcher has other lectures to attend alongside the project report.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study of children and what affect them is very important as it exposes us to the danger and the negative implications which it has in our children. Neglection and exposure of children to any form of media practice often leads to a great destruction of societal norms and values as the children happens to grow up without any form of home training and parental care. They find it very difficult to do anything that will have positive impact to the society in which they belong. This research work therefore will be useful to both students and researchers. 

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