Role Of Women In Social Development Of A Child (A Case Study Of Ifelodun Local Government Area Of Kwara State)

Project and Seminar Material for Sociology

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate role of women in social development of a child with a particular reference to selected women in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. To achieve this objective, four research questions and one research hypothesis were formulated to guide this study. The data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected with the help of a well-structured questionnaire of two sections administered to the selected women in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The collected data were analyzed tables and descriptive statistics to analyze the research questions while Chi-Square statistical method was used to test research hypothesis. All data were coded using SPSS software. The study reveals that woman plays a very significant role in the social development of the child. The study concluded with some recommendations that the concepts of culture, religion, tolerance, inter-tribal marriage and cooperation, unity, patriotism and nationalism should be well communicated to women in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

Socialisation is a very important part of a child’s development as it is through social development that the child learns about himself in relation to other people. So that he understands how to reconcile his selfish urges with the needs of society which always comes first. This is as the needs of society aims at a total preservation of the entire community and it’s mutual development and survival. While the individual’s yearning sometimes runs counterintuitive to that and can be self destructive for the individual and by extension the society. An easy case is that of drug abuse which clearly harms just the individual directly but on a wider outlook it is the society generally who runs at a loss. This is why social development of an individual begins from childhood and at family level before the child is incorporated into the society through it’s indoctrinating machineries like school, church, etc.
In every society, socialization of the child always already begins with the mother. It is she who indoctrinates, both consciously and unconsciously, the child in the acceptable norms of the society. The father merely stands as a corrective figure of authority who punishes wrongdoing. However it is the woman who also makes the child understand the repercussions of his action and inactions in each cases.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Any case made for socialisation practically is always often in the hindsight when the child turns out not very well indoctrinated and so adds against societal structures. And whenever the argument is in this posture the question that follows is often which of the machineries of social development is to blame and we always are predisposed to going back to the beginnings. The research effort which has gone into this work is propelled by the question of the role of women generally in the social development of the child with Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State as a case study.

1.3 Research Questions

The questions that has guided this research work include:

What are the machineries of social development?
What are the factors and processes of social development?
What are the roles of women in the social development of the child?
Why are their roles very important in the overall development of the child socially?

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The present research work aims at establishing the various roles of women in the social development of the child giving a detailed analysis of the processes and the various ways they play this role. The study also enumerates all other parties that play a significant part in the child’s social development and other kinds of development which are required for the general building of a complete individual

1.5 Significance of the Study

The study throws the needed light on the major agencies of the child’s development especially the ones that cater to his or her full social development. This way attention will be paid to the education of women in society; the argument being that when a woman who is a top role player in the development of the child is given the right kind of orientation and education not only during the years of socialization, she will in turn impact positively and qualitatively on the child who is under her influence.

1.6 Research Hypothesis

H0: Woman does not play very significant role in the social development of the child.
H1: Woman plays a very significant role in the social development of the child.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study only focuses on the social development of the child. Other aspect of child development are referred to as they may relate to the object of study. In describing the role of the woman in this respect, mothers will be used interchangeably with it as they are by their own description closer to the description than ordinary women in society.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The major limiting factor of this research work is the time factor which hasn’t fully allowed the researcher the leave to fully engage the research problem as would have been desirable.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Social Development:

For Wikipedia, social development is: Social Development theory attempts to explain qualitative changes in the structure and framework of society , that help the society to better realize aims and objectives. Development can be defined in a manner applicable to all societies at all historical periods as an upward ascending movement featuring greater levels of energy, efficiency, quality, productivity, complexity, comprehension, creativity, mastery, enjoyment and accomplishment.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the summary, conclusion and recommendations for further studies based on the findings of this study.

5.2 Summary of the Findings

This study was carried out to investigate role of women in social development of a child with a particular reference to in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. To achieve this objective, four research questions and one research hypothesis were formulated to guide this study. A structured questionnaire was used as the major instruments to obtained data from 92 selected women in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. Out of this number, 81(88%) copies of questionnaire were appropriately completed and returned to the researcher while 11(12%) copies of questionnaire were appropriately completed and returned for data analysis. The data collected from the respondents were analyzed using simple percentage and tables to analyze the research questions while Chi-square statistical tool was employ to the research hypothesis. The findings revealed that woman plays a very significant role in the social development of the child.

5.3 Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study and subsequent recommendations, it is concluded that socialization of the child always already begins with the mother. It is she who indoctrinates, both consciously and unconsciously, the child in the acceptable norms of the society. The father merely stands as a corrective figure of authority who punishes wrongdoing. Socialization deals with man and his environment, how man discovers himself and how he can be useful both to himself, to the community and to the society at large, are questions that engage socialization thinkers. The constant search of how man can fit into the society by utilizing the necessary attitudes, values and skills are at the root of Socialization objective. This in fact, explains why Socialization is simply seen as “the way of life” of the people. Its study focuses on the use of critical and reflective thinking to solve problems of man’s survival in his environment, to which peace, unity and national integration are critical catalysts. Hence these catalysts are sine qua non to development as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere marred by disunity.

5.4 Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following recommendations the concepts of culture, religion, tolerance, inter-tribal marriage and cooperation, unity, patriotism and nationalism should be well communicated to women in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

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