MASS MEDIA AND CHILDREN’S SOCIALIZATION: A STUDY OF ENUGU METROPOLIS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 

Early childhood was also a time children become aware of television and movie characters. Throughout history, familiar characters have appealed to children from an early age. The expansion of children’s media in recent years through sources such as cable TV and video games has greatly increased the number and variety of such characters and their related toys. The mass mediaare designed to expand children’s knowledge of society and the larger world, develop creativity, encourage problem solving, roleplaying, socialization, and improve literacy and vocabulary.

 The entire study of mass communication was based on the assumption that the media have significant effects, yet there was little agreement on the nature and extent of these assumed effects, McQuail (2007:456). This uncertainty was more surprising since everyday experience provides countless  examples of influence. For example, we dress for the weather as forecast, buy something because of an advert, go to a film mentioned in a newspaper, react to media news, films, music etc. There are many cases of negative media publicity for instance food contamination leading to significant changes in food consumption behaviour, acts of violence or suicide appear to be copied or stimulated by media portrayals. McQuail further asserts that our minds are full of media derived 2

information and impressions as we live in a world saturated by media sounds and images.  Few people cannot think of some personal instance of gaining significant information or of forming an opinion because of the media.

 According to Wimmer and Dominick (2003:394) the

development of the social impact of the mass media was evident as far back as the 1920’s when many critics charged that motion pictures had a negative influence on children. In 1928 the Motion picture Research Council, with support from the Payne fund a private Philanthropic Organization sponsored a series of thirteen studies on the movies’ influence on children. After examination of film content, information gain, attitude change and influence on behaviour, it was concluded that the movies were potent sources of information, attitudes and behaviour for children.

 In the early 1950’s another medium, the comic book was

chastised for it’s alleged harmful effects. John Klapper (1960) cited in Wimmer and Domnick (2003:394) summarized what was known about the social impact of mass communication. In contrast to many researchers, Klapper downplayed the potential harmful effects of the media. He concluded that the media most often reinforced an individual’s existing attitudes and  predispositions.  In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s concern over the antisocial impact of the media shifted to television. Experiments on college campuses by Bandura and Berkowitz in Comstock and Paik  3

(1991:97) showed that aggressive behaviour could be learned by viewing violent media content and that a stimulation effect was more probable than a cathartic effect. Subcommittees examined possible links between viewing violence on television and juvenile delinquency and in 1965 one subcommittee concluded that televised crime and violence were related to antisocial behaviours among juvenile viewers.

 The early 1970’s saw extensive research on the social effects of the mass media. Three years after the publication of the Eisenhower Commission report came the release of a multi-volume report sponsored by the Surgeon General’s Scientific Advisory committee on television and social Behaviour. The committee summarized it’s research evidence:

There is a convergence of fairly substantial evidence on short run causation of aggression among children by viewing violence and the much less certain evidence from field studies that violence viewing precedes some long-run manifestation of aggressive behaviour. Wimmer and Dominick (2003:394)

The committee tempered this conclusion by noting that any sequence by which viewing television violence causes aggressive behaviour is most likely applicable only to some children who are predisposed in that direction.

Gamson and Modigliani (1989) cited in McQuail (2007:461) work on media texts, audiences and also media organizations in the late

1970’s brought about a new approach to media effect which can

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best be termed “social constructivist”. This involves a view of media as having their most significant effects by constructing meanings. 

 In today’s society, mass mediaare thoroughly integrated into the fabric of life with television, movies, video, music, videogames central to both work and play.  Recent studies indicate that young children in Nigeria and in Enugu which is the limited area of this work use a wide variety of screen media. The media are increasingly part of children’s environment as television programmes are being made for infants, toddlers and teenagers.  

 On the positive bide of the ledger, there is evidence that thoughtfully designed TV used at the appropriate developmental stage can be educational. At the same time, the mass mediacan contribute to aggressive behaviour, anxiety and obesity in children. 

 The mass mediaplays important role in socialization through learning which it does by providing important sources of information. It also plays an important role in the transmission of attitudes, perception and beliefs. 

Dominick (2002:484) highlights specifically that television was an influential force when the following factors are operative:   

i.             The same ideas, people or behaviours recur consistently from programme to programme and are presented in a stereotyped manner. 

ii.           A child was heavily exposed to TV content

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iii.          A child has limited interaction with  parents and other socializing agents and lacks an alternative set of beliefs to serve as a standard against which to assess media portrayals.

The need to develop scientifically based practical answers to important questions about media effects on the physical, mental and social health of children was now greater than ever.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

  The mass mediaair programmes for children’s consumption to fulfill their social responsibility theory. The mass mediapose a problem of showing tricks and exaggeration which creates a false impression on the minds of the young ones. They do not enable children to make concrete decisions for themselves concerning their academics, total well being and future because what they get from the mass mediausually leads them to confusion and despair. 

This work also looked at why the mass mediaatimes warrants children’s   unfriendly and friendly behaviour towards their friends, siblings and people around them.

It also finds out if a child’s academic performance is being affected too when exposed to the electronic media.   

OBJECTIVE/PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 

          This work finds out the following:

1.   To find out if the mass mediaaffects the socialization process of children residing in Enugu. 

2.   To ascertain whether children in Enugu metropolis derive gratification from exposure to the electronic media.

3.   To find out if the media serve as a good agent of socialization.

4.   To find out why different children who are exposed to the mass mediado not receive the same measure of effect.

5.   To ascertain whether children’s preference over a particular thing was as a result of exposure to the electronic media.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

    The problem which the mass mediaposes affects

virtually every child directly or indirectly, so the significance of this work cannot be ignored in that it will help the mass mediapractitioners know the extent of the effects of their programme content on the social development of a child.   

This work was to advance the frontier of knowledge in the field of mass communication as well as serve as a repository of knowledge and also contribute to available literature in the field of mass communication. Issues pertaining to media effects on children have become a serious matter which demands attention by all and so this work serves as a reference material, to interpret and recommend appropriate actions.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

 The following research questions were formulated to  guide the study:-

1.    Does the mass mediahave any influence on the lives of children?

2.    To what extent was this influence?

3.    How helpful was the mass mediain the socialization process of a child?

To what extent has this help been?