THE INFLUENCE OF FOREIGN FILMS ON THE BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS OF YOUTHS IN UNIVERSITIES (A STUDY OF RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY AND UNIPORT RIVERS STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The mass media exert great persuasive effects on the thoughts and behaviors, by encouraging people into new lifestyle patterns, fashion, etc. Among all media, films play a major role in affecting the thinking pattern of the society (Evra, 1990).

Films also referred to as motion pictures, involves projecting a series of images into the screen to create an illusion of motion. It is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, enabling people to immerse in an imaginary world for a short period (Olaleye, 2007). 

In recent times, subtitles that translate different languages have increased appeal of films, especially those from foreign cultures. Subtitles give the audience the opportunity to watch films that were not produced in their primary language. This innovation therefore created room for rapid spread of films from their country of origin to other countries, in which Nigeria is not an exception. Today in Nigeria, films made in Hollywood USA, France, India, China, etc. are always in high demand.

Our present Nigeria society now has a Europeanized look. Our youths now strive to talk, walk, behave, eat, and dress exactly like characters in foreign films, to the detriment and abandonment of our indigenous cultures.

The influence of foreign films has not been in question, however, the type of influence, that is whether it is negative or positive has been the question in the front burner of recent studies in that area. This is exactly what brought about this research work, and it is to examine the influence of Hollywood films on the moral values of Nigerian youths.

1.2              STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEMS

The largest sampling of contents of foreign films carried out by Harvard Medical School, reveals a disturbing amount of violence as well as unrealistic views of racial and sexual relationships. In another research carried out by Olaleye Victoria (2007), it was discovered that youths are greatly exposed to foreign films. To this end, this research seeks to validate that claim and find out how these films affect the moral values of Nigerian youths, using University of port Hacourt and the river5s state university  Students as study.

1.3              OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The stimulus if this study is to determine the impact stimulus of foreign films on the behavioural patterns of the youths. (Behavioural pattern here means their attitude towards life, either the way of thinking dressing eating or better still their language). This study would also prefer solutions and recommendation for further study.

1.4              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Foreign films and its perception by the Nigeria youth especially those in higher institution have really made a great negative impact on the lives of the youth .it is perhaps interesting to note that within the last two decade, the country has been witnessing increase incident of crime and anti-social arts like burglary, rape, drunkenness, smoking habits, homo-sexualism and lesbianism etc.

This study therefore, will portray the negative and positive impacts of foreign films to the  youths. And it will also help to put the behaviour of the youth in check. And it is hoped that by the time this work will be  computed, a clear analogue will be  drawn on the effect/impact of foreign films on the behaviour pattern of Nigerian youths.

This study will also be a guide to the parent and many other people and  also to those in authority, in the developing countries especially Nigeria. The government and the broadcasting organization of Nigeria *BON) are not left out in this process the result of the study will make them censor the number and types of foreign films that are brought into this country. It will also prescribe the television house, the kinds of films youth need to watch on the television, this will go a long way to support what parker said in 1974. The sooner each new technique is studied the greater the chance of brining to use research result to influence policy in a meaningful ways?

Finally this will be of immense benefits as a source of literature to communicators scholar and students of who might take interest in this area of studying in the future.

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: Foreign movies has no significant influence on the behavioral patterns of youths in Universities

H1: Foreign movies have significant influence on the behavioral patterns of youths in Universities

1.6              ASSUMPTION

Films can have positive impact on the youths

b.                  Films influence the behaviour of our youths

c.                   Foreign films are alien tour youths

1.7  SCOPE

This will apparently focus on

1.                  The behavioral pattern of our youths as related to the foreign films.

2.                  Assessing the positives and negative impact of foreign films on our youths.

3.                  The degree of transmission of foreign films on local and national television.

4.                  The preference of foreign films to local films among out youths

5.                  The recommendation as to limited transmission of foreign films .in the national television programmes.

1.8              DEFINITION

Impact: Impact refer to as a strong effect something has on other.

Foreign: By foreign it means  dealing with a country that is not ones own. For example in these my study, the films because it is not our own, instead imported from other countries outside our countries.

Films: Films here refers to thin layer sheet or rolled strip of light sensitive material for taking photographs etc.

Behaviour: Behaviouir simply means way of behaving or the way in which one react to a particular event or issues tone another.

Pattern: pattern could be define as a model design or instructions showing how a thing is to be made etc.

Youth: Youth could be define as a state or period of being young. These youths start from teenage till the age of (35) thirty five years old.