THE EFFECT OF HOSTEL BEHAVIOUR ON SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC ORIENTATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE FEMALE STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A common definition of attitude is the propensity to react favorably or unfavorably to a predefined class of stimuli, such as a national or ethnic group, a habit, or an institution. Regarding their social and intellectual orientation, we wish to examine the dormitory behavior of female college students.

According to Anastasi (2022), there are three components to attitudes. These include cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors. The cognitive component relates to a person's or object's beliefs or factual knowledge. Affective refers to an individual's emotional response or sentiments toward a person, concept, or thing. The behavioral or action component refers to a person's propensity to act upon their emotions, beliefs, and information. As a result, some students view dormitory living as an escape from parental control (freedom) rather than an opportunity to concentrate on their academics and get away from extraneous influences.

According to Johnson (2022), dependence on attitudes is a fundamental psychological economy known as the concept of "least effort." The idea asserts that, if feasible, past solutions should be applied to current issues, and past emotions should be applied to current experiences. The hall administrators, who are responsible for enforcing the rules, tend to turn a blind eye to what is occurring in the dormitories. Students go and return in the wee hours of the morning without anybody expressing alarm. Some students go outside of the school environment for months without being discovered, often with non-students living with them in hostels.

According to Krumbolt & Thorenson (2022), behavioural therapy is the process of assisting individuals in learning how to address specific interpersonal, emotional, and decision-making issues. A customer can be taught to modify his behavior through training. Some of these adolescents require the assistance of a guidance counselor to overcome their misbehavior.

Yates (2022) defined behavior modification as the endeavor to positively influence human behavior and mood. According to Anastasi (2022), behavior modification is the direct application of key learning concepts to the actual management of behavior change. It includes the use of conditioning principles to the acquisition, reinforcement, and eradication of desired and undesirable behaviors.

Once upon a time, university education was seen as a true platform for acquiring and cultivating values. It was believed that students were industrious, morally upstanding, disciplined, courteous, and virtuous. Now, a normal female student does not bat an eye while bragging to her peers about her liaisons with wealthy "Aristos" (sugar daddies). And why not, given that she has so much to show for it: a fancy automobile, overseas vacations, costly clothes and presents, etc. These "Aristos" squander what they cannot afford on their spouses on their flirty girlfriends.

Similarly, it has become popular for married men to brag about their dates with female students. Some ladies go so far as to support many partners, even students, with the help of their wealthy sugar daddy. Fights between female rivals over a man are extremely frequent (Anastasi 2022).

There is a concerning scenario in female hostels where non-students purchase bed space and use rooms for business purposes. According to reports, many famous individuals from the outside who patronize these females favor students. These commercial sex vendors, some of whom may have been denied entry via JAMB or the diploma scheme, remain on campus for the sake of their reputation, creating the idea that they are students (Edet, 2022).

Some students' truancy and absenteeism result from these bad attitudes. They keep late hours or travel for weeks at a time. The result is that they are missing from classes. During these times, however, their peers assist them in marking attendance registers during classes, completing tasks, and even taking continuous assessment exams. There are mercenaries skilled in these abilities. They are also difficult to identify for school administrators.

It is general knowledge that, unlike male students, ladies always have trouble remaining together. Fights, quarrels, vulgar exchanges of language, hatred, and obvious jealousy are prevalent negative features among hostel ladies. There are individuals who persevere in creating noise, playing loud music on their radios, engaging in unclean behavior, or stealing anything, including undergarments (Anastasi 2022).

On college, cult membership is another issue. These nighttime gatherings are frequently comprised of female students seeking influence or simple enjoyment. Others are scared or compelled to join due to peer pressure. Others, though, seek shelter from fellow students in cults. Some students view dormitory living as an escape from parental or familial authority. They view their undergraduate education as a chance to travel the globe. So they engage in vices like as late-night parties, indecent attire, prostitution, cult membership, etc., with reckless abandon.

It is useful to observe that a number of these females have returned with fatal sexual disorders and unexplained ailments. There are also people who were not properly raised or instructed by their parents. Such criminals frequently exhibit the aforementioned behavioral characteristics.

The issue of students adjusting to college life is of the utmost significance. Throughout history, people's ability to adapt to difficult circumstances or new settings has been influenced by a sequence of attitude patterns. Not only is the university atmosphere recognized for its pursuit of academic greatness, but also for the numerous innovations and challenges it presents to each student. It is usual for college students to experience psychological strains and tensions, such as concern, frustration, anxiety, and conflict, in order to acclimate to university life. Without assistance, it may be incredibly difficult for a student to manage university life.

Woman (2022) defines adjustment as the individual's interaction with his environment as he seeks to endure various physical and psychological challenges. In such a setting as the University of Ibadan, it demands a great deal of self-discipline for a student to be able to stand on his or her own without undue influence.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The issue to be examined is the variance in hostel behavior among female undergraduates residing in the hostel.

This is an issue since students come from various socioeconomic backgrounds, yet some of them fail to understand this while striving to meet the expectations of their peers. In the dormitories, there are call-girls who occupy various halls while posing as students, as it has become common for males to visit campuses in search of women posing as undergraduates (Edet, 2022).

The non-students profit much from the males. Their rooms are equipped with every imaginable amenity for a comfortable existence. They flaunt their affluence by driving expensive vehicles. Due of their electrical devices and the nature of their guests, they make noise. They indulge in scandalous behavior, leaving at strange hours with guys for late-night parties and returning in the wee hours of the morning to disturb those who are asleep.

Some students desire to adopt their way of life, feeling that they are enjoying life. They participate in the malicious actions of the non-students. Distracted from their studies, the pupils begin to fall behind in their academic work. To make ends meet, they pay others to complete their homework and take their exams (Innocent, 2022).

Therefore, there is a need for a type of orientation for new students who are presented with mostly perplexing lifestyle differences upon entering college. If we accept the premise that education is a process of influencing, reinforcing, and altering people's knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, then the university as an educational institution can bear the responsibility of fostering the optimal growth and development of an educated individual.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The broad purpose of this study is to assess the effect of hostel behaviour on social and academic orientation among undergraduate female students. Specifically, this study seeks to:

i.          Find out whether hostel behaviour affects orientation among undergraduate female students.

ii.        Determine whether home upbringing affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

iii.      Determine whether religious values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

iv.      Determine whether personal values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

i.          Does hostel behaviour affects orientation among undergraduate female students?

ii.        Determine whether home upbringing affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

iii.      Determine whether religious values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

iv.      Determine whether personal values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will assist students in understanding how their attitude and conduct in the dorm effect their social and academic orientation.

It will assist parents and counselors in understanding how hostel behavior influences the social and intellectual orientation of children.

It will assist the school administration understand how students' attitudes and hostel conduct impact their social and academic orientation.

It will inform society that differences in hostel behavior are associated with students' social and intellectual attitude.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study focuses on the effect of hostel behaviour on social and academic orientation among undergraduate female students. Specifically, this study focuses on finding out whether hostel behaviour affects orientation among undergraduate female students, determining whether home upbringing affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students, determining whether religious values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students and determining whether personal values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

Selected female students from the University of Calabar, Cross River State will serve as the respondents for this study.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will exclude male students and Post graduate students of the University of Calabar, Cross River State.

This study will also be limited to the effect of hostel behaviour on social and academic orientation among undergraduate female students. Specifically, this study will be limited to finding out whether hostel behaviour affects orientation among undergraduate female students, determining whether home upbringing affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students, determining whether religious values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students and determining whether personal values affects hostel behaviour among undergraduate female students.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Social Orientation: Social orientation designates how a person is aware of, relates, and adapts to other people, whereas time approach designates how a person perceives, approaches, and manages time.

Academic Orientation: Academic orientation is a term that describes the way that you think about and approach your studies; more specifically, it looks at the relationship between these two factors.

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