RURAL ENVIRONMENT. EDUCATION. PERSONALITY ISSN 2255-808X
Jelgava, 15 .-16.05 2015.
Environmental Factors Influencing the Moral Behaviour
of Secondary School Students in Imo State, Nigeria
Ngozi R. Uzoka Ph.d.; Ugochi Njoku M.ed.
Department of Agricultural & Home Economics Education
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria
[email protected]
Abstract: The study investigated the environmental factors influencing the moral behaviour of
secondary school students in Owerri Municipal Area, Imo State Nigeria. The sample was made up of
450 secondary students sampled randomly from nine (9) public secondary schools purposively
selected from the area of study. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study.
Relevant data for testing the null hypotheses were collected through the direct delivery method
administration of copies of “Influence of Environmental Factors on Moral Behaviour of Secondary
School Students” questionnaire (IEFMBSSS) on the respondents. The reliability coefficient of the
instrument using Pearson product moment was 0.75. Mean, SD and t-test statistics were used to
analyze data. Results showed that home, school and culture are some of the environmental factors that
strongly influence the moral behaviour of secondary school students. Based on the findings it was
recommended that parents should provide the child with guidance in the approved patterns of
behaviour, and certain aspects of culture that do not portray positive values and morals should be
discarded for the good of the students and the entire society among others.
Keywords: environment, moral behaviour.
Introduction
The term environment is used by some psychologists to designate the aspect of the organism’s
surrounding to which it responds to at any given time. According to O.V.Opara (Opara, 2004),
environment can be described as anything that is not genetic. It can be physical or psychological. The
physical environment deals with the material aspect like homes, schools, community and significant
others such as parents, peers, siblings. The psychological environment consists of the feelings,
attitudes and expectations of those around the child. They create the emotional climate or atmosphere
within which the child lives and learns.
Moral behaviour focuses on the student’s ability to differentiate between good and bad as they grow in
their different cultural settings. From infancy, through childhood to adolescence and adulthood, the
way and manner a child interacts with people in the environment shows the level of moral
development he has achieved. These include honesty, respect for oneself, and others, tolerance and
self-control. Moral behaviour focuses on the child’s ability to differentiate between good and bad as
they grow in their different cultural settings. Moral judgment depends on the level of cognitive
behaviour because as the level of cognitive abilities increase the understanding and judgment of
principles of morality also increases. Moral behaviour among secondary school students includes both
a nurturing facet. Some of the moral behaviour occurs as the student watches each other in the school
environment. This means that a nurturing environment can still yield a student who is lacking moral
development (Drifte, 2004). Moral development and behaviour in secondary school students occurs as
they learn at home, school and in the society. These students usually adopt the accepted behaviour of
the group that is most significant to them.
L.N.Njoku, (Njoku 2000) notes that secondary school students are in the stage of adolescence which is
always a time of moral turbulence characterized by constant assertion of self among them. It is the
environment which the students find themselves that influence their behaviors. The complex period of
adolescence calls for sensitivity on the part of parents, teachers, and others who work with them to
note both physical and psychological changes rapidly taking place at this period. Some tangible issues
on the life of these secondary school students include drinking smoking, cheating, stealing and drug
abuse. These students may causally attempt these activities and may decide to participate fully in one
or more of these related behaviors. This depends on the environment they find themselves. The
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students under this category also undergo a period of emotional transition which is marked by changes
in the way they view themselves and in the capacity to function independently: they mature
intellectually, undergo cognitive changes and perceive themselves in more sophisticated ways. The
complexity of this period in the life of secondary school students is seen along the spectrum of
multiple contexts such as home, school and neighborhood that they navigate and their various agents
of influence such as family, peers, school, media, (culture), (Hart and Carlo, 2005). During the period
of adolescence which falls within the secondary school period, the child tries to access and analyze the
value system and principle picked up in the childhood. The child sooner or later rejects most of the
normalization as practiced by adults in the physical environment as practiced by adults in the physical
environment.
According to R.Gross (Gross, 2010), the environment plays important roles in shaping personality and
behaviour of the adolescent. The environmentalist argues that a child is not born a genius, lazy, and
criminal but it is the environment that makes him to be so (Lahey, 2004). Watson cited in S.Chauhan
(Chauhan, 2009) opined that with selective child rearing practices, one can develop adults who are
lawyers, beggars and criminal out of children.
People have great differences in their body built, method of living, colour and habits according to the
environment (Agulanna and Onukogu, 2002). Psychologists agree that the personality of an individual
develops with constant interaction between biological inheritance and environmental forces.
According to J.Riley (Riley, 2003), the first environment, wheret the child moves, is into her/his
home. His likes, dislikes, expectation and emotions are shaped in early childhood. The student learns
how to be aggressive or friendly from home by imitating be it good or bad behaviors of parents or
elders (Dash, 2005). The family is the workshop, where for better or for worse children develop an
internal pattern of attitudes and beliefs that shape their character and influence their behaviors.
The school enhances student’s moral behaviour aiming at providing them with a sense of belonging to
a group which is responsive to individual needs. Teachers play a critical leadership role in the school
by making rules and regulations and then listen closely to understand a student’s reasoning, in order to
help the student to the next level of reasoning. The students are allowed to make decisions and the
teachers also show them limits in their reasoning. The type of school a child attends, the income
background, the educational background of the parents, the parents’ status and cultural background
determines the moral behaviour of a child especially secondary school students behavior. B.Lahey
(Lahey, 2004) defines culture as the pattern of behaviour, beliefs and values that are shared by a
group of people. It includes language and superstitious to moral beliefs and good preferences that are
learned from the people with whom we live. D.Kennedy (Kennedy, 2000) argues that it is impossible
to fully understand a person without understanding his or her culture, ethnic identity and other socio
cultural factors. Kennedy contends that childhood is best viewed as a cultural and historical
construction order to appreciate the ways in which characterization of children function symbolically
as carriers of deep assumptions about the construction of human subjectivity.
N.Njoku (Njoku, 2004), writes that the real purpose of education is to change behaviour. He blames
those who think of education as a means of expanding the horizons of ones understanding of world at
present and past, as well as preparing for the future. From the foregoing education in Owerri education
zone, Imo State particularly secondary education still has a long way to go in inculcating good moral
behaviour in school children. Majority of these children are badly behaved and lack sense of direction.
It is not out of place to state that many of them seem to be abnormal and emotionally disturbed. The
greatest problem facing the researchers is how best to help secondary school students, parents
teachers and others who work with these students cope effectively with ever increasing environmental
social exigencies associated with the moral behavior of the students involved. The ever increasing rate
of delinquency in Owerri Educational zone, Imo State is becoming alarming. This may in the long run
affect the standard of academic performance of these children in the area. Teachers so far have been
putting serious efforts in order to control the situation. Teachers are expected to deal sincerely with the
problems associated with students’ behavior as they occur. Can teachers therefore develop an
atmosphere of trust and an attitude of acceptance and cultivate empathic understanding in order to
grapple with these problems. The problem of this work is the need to offer possible clues that would
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ultimately make for a way out of the myriad social and behaviour oriented problems as posed by
family/home, school and culture of secondary school students in study area.
Objectives of the study
The main objective of the study is to find out the environmental factors that influence moral behaviour
of secondary school students in Owerri Municipal area of Imo State Nigeria. Specifically it intends to;
1. determine the extent home influence moral behaviour of secondary school students in Owerri
municipal area of Imo State.
2. determine the extent school activities influence the moral behaviour of secondary school
students in Owerri municipal area of Imo State.
3. determine the extent culture influence the moral behavior of secondary school students in
Owerri Municipal area of Imo State, Nigeria.
Research questions
1. To what extent does the home influence the moral behaviour of students in the Nigerian
secondary schools in Owerri Municipal area?
2. To what extent does school environment influence the moral behaviour of secondary school
students in Owerri municipal area?
3. To what extent does culture influence the moral behaviour of secondary school students in
Owerri municipal area of Imo State, Nigeria.
The Null Hypotheses
1. School does not significantly influence the moral behavior of secondary school students in
Owerri Municipal area.
2. Home does not significantly influence the moral behavior of secondary school students in
Owerri municipal area.
3. Culture does not significantly influence the moral behavior of secondary school students in
Owerri municipal area in Nigeria.
Methodology
The study adopted analytic descriptive research design. The population consists of nine secondary
school purposively selected because of large size of the total number of school located in Owerri
municipal area which is the hubbub of Imo State, Nigeria. This population is made up of all the senior
secondary students. A sample of 50 students was drawn from each of the schools selected through
simple random sampling technique bringing the sample size to 450 students (223 males and 227
females). Researchers made questionnaire captioned “Influence of Environmental Factors on Moral
Behavior of Secondary School Students” (IEFMBSSS) was used to elicit information from the
respondents. The instrument was made up of sections A and B. Section A contained questions on the
personal data of the respondents while section B had questions to find out the influence of
environment on secondary school students moral behaviour. The respondents were to tick (√) any of
these options ranging from Strongly Agreed (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) to Strongly Disagree (SD).
The questionnaire was validated by giving it to two senior lectures in Educational psychology and
measurement and evaluation respectively all in the department of Educational Foundations of Michael
Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
Their input and corrections were duly effected and used. The reliability of the instrument was
determined through test-retest method for measure of its stability. The set of data which was collected
two weeks interval from 20 students outside the respondents were computed using Pearson product
moment correlation co-efficient. The reliability co-efficient was 0.75. The researchers administered
the questionnaire to the respondents and collected it thereafter. Descriptive statistics of mean (x),
standard deviation and t-test statistics technique were employed to test the research questions and
research hypotheses respectively.
Results and discussion
The above revealed the mean ratings of the items of family/home influence on moral behaviour of
secondary school students at 3.08, 3.49, 3.14, and 2.17 respectively. The table shows the grand mean
of 2.87 which was above the reference mean of 2.50. The table also revealed the t-calculated of 15.26,
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26.76, 14.41, -6.47, -0.89 and 8.81 respectively. The t-critical is 1.96 with degree of freedom of 448
and at 0.05 with degree of freedom of 448 and at 0.05 level of significant. The null hypothesis is
rejected and the alternate accepted. Therefore family/home influences moral behaviour of secondary
school students in Owerri, Nigeria (Table 1).
Table 1
t – test analysis of the mean ratings of home influence on moral behaviour of secondary school
students.
S/N
1
2
3
4
5
Items
X
SD
Most secondary school student who
engage in cultism and drug abuse
come from poor families and broken
homes.
3.08
0.81
Reference
2.50
0.00
Most secondary school students from
families with poor socio-economic
status steal in both schools and in
larger society.
3.49
0.70
Reference
2.50
0.00
Most female secondary school students
who are often victims of teenage or
premarital
pregnancy come from
families with poor socio-economic
background
3.14
0.82
Reference
2.50
0.00
Most secondary school students from
broken homes do not obey school
regulation let alone obey teachers
2.17
1.09
Reference
2.50
0.00
Most of the secondary school students
engage in drunkenness and drug abuse
in order to escape from the realities of
life in their homes
2.46
0.95
Reference
2.50
0.00
Grand score
2.87
0.89
Reference
2.50
0.00
Df
t-cal
t-crit
Decision
448
15.26
1.96
significant
448
26.76
1.96
significant
448
16.41
1.96
significant
448
-6.47
1.96
significant
448
-0.89
1.96
significant
448
8.81
1.96
significant
The above table showed the mean ratings of the items of schools influence on moral behaviour of
secondary school students as 3.05, 3.50, 3.24, 2.96 and 3.30 respectively which were above the
reference mean of 2.50. It also showed the mean of 2.50. The t-calculated of 12.50, 2.30, 18.97. 9.58,
24.24 and 17.75 were also revealed on the table. Thus t-calculated also revealed that the t-cal was
greater than the t-critical of 1.96 with degree of freedom of 448 and at 0.05 level of significance
(Table 2). The null hypothesis is rejected and the alternate accepted. School activities influence moral
behaviour of secondary school students in Owerri municipal area of Imo State.
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Table 2
t-test analysis of the mean ratings of school influence on moral behaviour of secondary school
students.
S/N
Items
X
SD
1
Most secondary school students
behave we
not in the company of
their friends in the school.
3.05
0.93
Reference
2.50
0.00
Most secondary school students are
taught good moral behaviour by their
school teachers.
3.50
0.69
Reference
2.50
0.00
3.24
School activities keep the mind of
secondary
school students busy and
to deter them from antisocial
behaviours.
0.83
Reference
2.50
0.00
Most secondary school students from
broken homes do not obey school
regulation let alone obey teachers.
2.17
1.09
Reference
2.50
0.00
Secondary school students who are
given regular homework or assignment
by their school teachers do not usually
have time to go to night parties.
2.96
1.02
Reference
2.50
0.00
School teachers inculcate selfdiscipline and creative thinking in
most secondary school students
3.30
0.71
Reference
2.50
0.00
Grand score
3.21
0.84
Reference
2.50
0.00
2
3
4
5
6
Df
t-cal
t-crit
Decision
448
12.50
1.96
significant
448
3.30
1.96
significant
448
18.97
1.96
significant
448
-6.47
1.96
significant
448
24.24
1.96
significant
448
24.24
1.96
significant
448
17.75
1.96
significant
The above table revealed the mean ratings of the items of culture influence on moral behavior of
secondary of school students as 2.62, 2.69, 2.57, 2.49, 2.76 and 2.63 respectively. It also showed the
grand mean of 2.63. The t-calculated are 2.73, 4.52, 1.52, -0.25 and 5.53. The t- critical is 1.96 with
degree of freedom of 448 and at 0.05 level of significant (Table 3). The null hypothesis is rejected and
the alternate accepted. Therefore, culture influences moral behavior of secondary school students in
Owerri Municipal Area.
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Table 3
t-test analysis of the mean ratings of culture influence on moral behaviour of secondary school
students.
S/N
S/N
1
Students from cultures that are liberal 2.62
in sexual matters
are
more
promiscuous
than
those
from
cultures that are more reserved
in sexual matters.
0.93
Reference
2.50
0.00
Positive cultural values encourage 2.69
positive behavior of students and viceversa.
0.89
Reference
2.50
0.00
Rampant cases of immoral behavior by 2.57
many students are acquired through
bad cultural practices
0.97
Reference
2.50
0.00
are 2.49
0.84
2.50
0.00
Culture has no influence on moral 2.76
behavior of students.
1.00
Reference
2.50
0.00
Grand Score
2.63
0.93
Reference
2.50
0.00
2
3
4
Items
Students’ moral behaviuor
significantly shaped by culture.
Reference
5
X
SD
Df
t-cal
t-crit
Decision
448
2.73
1.96
significant
448
4.52
1.96
significant
448
1.52
1.96
significant
448
-0.25
1.96
not
significant
448
5.53
1.96
significant
448
2.95
1.96
significant
Discussion of Findings
The result in the table 1 shows that the home of the secondary school child has a very great influence
on his or her moral behaviour. The mean score ( x ) scores of most secondary school students who
engage in cultism and drug abuse come from poor families and broken homes is (x = 3.08), most
secondary school students from homes with poor socio-economic status steal in school and in larger
society is (x = 3.49), most of the female secondary school students who are often victims of teenage
or premarital pregnancy come from homes with poor socio economic background is ( x = 3.14), most
secondary school students from broken homes do not obey school regulations let alone obeying
teacher is (x = 2.17) and most of the secondary school students engage in drunkenness and drug abuse
in order to escape from realities of life in their homes is (x = 2.46) (Table 1). This supports J.Riley,
(Riley, 2007) who found out that the child earliest home experiences do a lot in influencing his or her
moral and spiritual behaviour. This implies that without adequate adult supervision at home, many
students can spend most their time roaming the streets. This calls for parents to provide the students
with guidance in the approval patterns of behaviour.
The findings further revealed that school activities influence moral behaviour of secondary school
students in the study area as seen from the data presented on table 2. It shows that the mean (x) scores
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of secondary school student behaving well when not in the company of their friends in school
(x = 3.05), secondary school students are taught moral behaviour by their school teachers (x = 3.50)
school activities keep the mind of secondary school students busy and so deter them from antisocial
behaviour (x = 3.24), secondary school students who are given regular homework or assignment by
their school teachers do not usually have time to go to night parties (2.96) school teachers inculcate
self-discipline and creative thinking most secondary school students (x = 3.30) (Table 2).
The grand mean of 3.21 is greater than the reference mean of 2.50 showing that school activities
influence the moral behaviour of secondary school students. This agrees with the work of (Cadwell &
Flanagan, 2003) who asserted that teacher-students relationship is a major factor affecting the
student’s adjustment and moral behaviour.
Research question 3 and hypotheses 3 revealed on table 3 the mean ratings of the items of culture
influence on moral behaviour of secondary school students as 2.62, 2.69, 2.57, 2.49, 2.76 and
respectively. It also showed the grand mean of 2.50. The t-calculated of 2.73, 4.52, 1.52, -0.25 and
5.53, the t-critical is 1.96 with degree of freedom of 448 and at 0.05 level of significance (Table 3).
The null hypothesis is rejected and the alternate accepted. B. Lahey (2004) observed that we are all
shaped by our culture and our identity and personality must be understood in that context.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Environmental factors such as the home, school activities and culture all have an overwhelming
influence on the child’s moral behavior. These days most children especially secondary school
students are seen to have thrown to the winds moral and values which has resulted to the rate of
violence in the entire globe. This calls for a serious concern for all and sundry to look inwards on how
these agents especially home will live out its functions of inculcating good moral values into their
children.
It is therefore recommended that:
1. Parents should provide adequate and proper guidance to their children once they are of age in
the approved patterns of behaviour.
2. Secondary school students should understand why they are in school and should be ready to
take instructions from their teachers. They teachers on the other hand should be dedicated to
carry out their responsibilities.
3. There is the need for students to learn their culture well especially the acceptable ones that
will encourage good moral behaviour.
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