The Effect Of Foreign Films On Teenagers In Nigeria

Project and Seminar Material for Mass Communication

Abstract

The present importation of all sort of films from all over the world has reached an alarming rate. This implies also to technology advancement and innovation in information dissemination, via cable and satellite.

The project is aimed at knowing “The Effect of foreign films on teenagers in Nigeria,” in Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Three hypothesis were adopted in the research, these are:

Do most teenagers of school age watch foreign films without any form of control by parents or guardians?
That behaviour, character and attitude of sex, violence, crime, shooting, drugs and destruction exhibited from their exposure to foreign films?
Do most teenagers of school age have access to foreign film, watch it and through which medium?

The behavioural patterns of the chosen group for this project (teenagers), their traits and attitudes and how the value and cultures of the Nigerian society affects their all ready held disposition as against the foreign cultures was looked into.

The research method used is survey method, questionnaires were administered to some selected secondary schools in Ibarapa East Local Government Area through a simple random sampling. The researchers assuming that foreign films have a lot of influences on the attitudes and behaviours exhibited by teenagers in recent times, this include crime, sex, shooting, violence. Destruction and drug abuse. This research has helped ascertained to what extent foreign films influence the teenagers character.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Of all the media communication, the motion picture is perhaps universal as medium combines pictures and sound to create a lasting impression. A film can rise above the power of its visual images. The use of music and sound effects can succeed in conveying much to viewers of heterogeneous backgrounds.

Large scale research on the effect of mass communication began with the payne fund studies. These efforts of the late 1920’s, and early 1980’s concluded that motion pictures had many influences and effects on children and teenagers. Experts discredited the early research, but in confirmed the public’s belief that movies were powerful and had potential dangerous influence on children.

A large government sponsored project (the report to the surgeon general) focused on television violence and its influence on children and adolescent. I content analyses, experiments and surveys, all indicators pointed to the conclusion that, under specific kinds of circumstances, repeated exposure to violence on television raise the probability of some teenagers and children to be more aggressive. In a review of some 2,500 research studies of the effects of television (the second report to the surgeon general), the link between exposures to violence portrayed on television and aggressive behaviour (among children and teenagers) was seen as somewhat stronger.

This project is aimed at taking critical look at “The effects of foreign films on teenagers in Nigeria.” A study of Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, the analysis will be in the area of crimes, sex violence and drugs and in what ways does these films affects their cognition, psychological, sociological or philosophical disposition of these teenagers?

This work seek to analyse and assess the content of foreign films and enumerates solution to the problem faced by this study.

To help in understanding the concept and scope of this research work, the following elements, concepts or operational definitions are teenagers, effect, foreign film, behaviour demonstration and impact. These will prepare our minds to understand subsequent areas as we proceed in this work.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The mass media exert great persuasive effects on the thoughts and behaviors of people by introducing them into new lifestyle patterns, fashion, etc. Among all media, films play a major role in affecting the thinking pattern of the society. 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. This entails that the behavioral disposition of students, especially the undergraduate students are really at stake. Most violent, absurd, sensual and annoying behaviors exhibited by undergraduate students are claimed to have been copied from foreign films. However, some schools of thoughts claim this is not true. Hence, there is a conflict on whether foreign films negatively or positively influence the behavior of students/youths. To this end, this research seeks to validate that claim and find out how these foreign movies affect the moral values and behavioral patterns of Nigerian youths, using the youths in Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State as a case study.

1.3 Purpose of the Research

The purpose of this research work is to know the effects that foreign films have on teenagers. Also, it meant to find out the negative effects that are acquired by these teenagers through foreign films broadcast by television stations or through the purchase of video tapes or VCD.

In line with this, the following specific objectives will be to:

To determine if undergraduate students are exposed to foreign movies.
To ascertain the frequency to which undergraduate students are exposed to foreign movies.
To ascertain the aspect of undergraduate student’s behavior that is most influenced by foreign movies.
To determine the genre of foreign movies that influences undergraduates student’s behavior.

1.4 Research Questions

In line with the objectives of the study, the following research questions will be addressed:

Are undergraduate students exposed to foreign movies?
What is the frequency to which undergraduate students are exposed to foreign movies?
Which aspect of undergraduate student’s behavior is most influenced by foreign movies?
What genre of foreign movies influences undergraduate student’s behavior?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This occupies a strategic place of relevance given that it will go a long way to reveal the influence of foreign movies on the behavioural disposition of undergraduate students of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State Enugu. The significance of a research work is expressed in its importance and benefits. This research is considered important given to the fact that it will be of high relevance to media houses. The media houses will find the findings of this study relevant as it will introduce some reforms in the airing of foreign films. The findings of this study will also enlighten students as it will expand their horizon on the issue of foreign films and its influence o students. The general public will also find this research relevant as it will educate them on the subject matter. Finally, this research will be an addition to the existing stock of knowledge.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The subject scope of this study is to examine the influence of foreign movies on behavior of undergraduate students of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State. This clearly shows that the study is restricted to undergraduate students of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State Emene; Enugu.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Influence:

This the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behaviors or opinions of others.

Pattern:

This is the way in which a person performs his/her activities or functions in life. It can also be seen as the repeated or regular way in which something happens or is done like in dressing in a peculiar manner.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Introduction

The essence of this study is to carry out an empirical analysis of the influence of foreign movies on the behavioral disposition of undergraduates of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State students. Data for the research was collected through the distribution of questions hence, the survey method was adopted. In the course of the study, the data was analyzed using the frequency tables and percentages. The population size was two thousand two hundred and twenty two (2222) with a sample size of three hundred and thirty nine (339). The analysis was carried out with table, frequency and percentages. This was done to estimate the demographic characteristics of the respondents and to evaluate the given research questions.

5.2 Summary of Findings

Having carried out the study, the following findings were extracted:

The Teenagers of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State are exposed to foreign movies.
Teenagers of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State on the average are significantly exposed to foreign movies.
The dressing and speaking style of majority of students behavior are most influenced by foreign movies.
The adventure genre of foreign movies is that aspect that significantly influences Teenagers’ behavior.

5.3 Recommendations

Courses on film production should be introduced as general course in our institutions to enable our youths realize that, what they see in films are most times mere imaginations of the directors and films producers and they are far from being real.
Universities and other tertiary institutions should take the issue of dress code seriously by penalizing students who are found wanting.
While selecting films to watch especially those produced in Hollywood, students should be discerning enough to choose one that teaches good morals, films that center on the importance of one losing one’s virginity or robbing a bank is highly detrimental to the mores and general lifestyle of students, therefore every student should avoid such films.
The school authority should invite/provide guidance counselors to visit their schools periodically and address the students. Alternatively, seminars/ workshops could be organized for teachers periodically on ways to counsel and handle students. These counselors should be able to inspire adolescents away from excessive viewing of foreign movies by using biographics of appropriate role models in society who were able to move to greatness because they de-emphasized excessive foreign movie viewing as adolescents.

5.4 Conclusion of the Study

This study has been able to analyze the influence of foreign movies on the behavioral disposition of teenagers of Ibarpa East Local Government Area of Oyo State students. Based on the findings of the research, one can conclude that foreign movies has to a great extent influenced the way Teenagers behave. This is reflected in both the speaking and dressing patterns.

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