Factors Influencing Social Development | factors affecting social development

 

Factors Influencing Social Development | factors affecting social development

 

In Factors Influencing Social Development, educational psychologists have also focused their attention on some such factors which have a clear and distinct effect on the social development of children.

Chief among such factors are the following:

(1) School Environment 

 

The school environment of children has a direct impact on their social development. If the school environment is such that the teachers deal with the children in a democratic manner and lay emphasis on the extra-curricular programs in the children as per the need, then the social development of the children takes place rapidly because proper development of social virtues takes place in them.

(2) Child Rearing system 

 

Social development in children is more influenced by their upbringing. Different societies and cultures have different systems of child rearing.

Some psychologists are of the view that children who are looked after by their parents themselves have a stronger motivation to learn and conform to social rules.

As a result, the social development of such children is rapid and satisfactory. On the other hand, the children whose upbringing is not given proper caress and love by the parents and who are not looked after by the parents themselves but by some other person, then social development seems to be slow and slow in them. In such children and adolescents, the signs of social development are not very clearly visible even after getting old.

(3) Language

 

Language also has a proper effect on social development. Through language, the child conveys his wishes, needs etc. to others and tries to understand the wishes and needs of others.

Hurlock (1978) has pointed out that language helps children to perform appropriate social behavior in appropriate social situations.

In school, the teachers tell the children about different types of manners through language. In which situation, what kind of social behavior should be done, children are taught by parents at home through language only. It is clear that the process of social development takes place rapidly through language.

 

Social factors affecting development 

(4) Means of propaganda

Different mediums of propaganda, such as radio, television, cinema, newspapers, magazines, etc. also have an impact on the social development of children. Different social aspects are emphasized by these mediums in their own way. Children are told different things through these mediums. They do comparative study and analysis of all these things, due to which they also develop social insight which helps in learning different types of social behaviour.

 

Not only this, by imitating what children and adolescents see through some media of propaganda, especially through television and cinema, they start behaving in the same way in their lives. While doing this, they learn many new social behaviors and in this way their social development starts happening rapidly.

(5) Social attitude

 

Social attitude also has an impact on the social development of children. Children whose social attitude is compatible with different types of social incidents and problems, their social recognition increases more.

 

As a result, they get a lot of help in social adjustment. In making such adjustments, they learn a variety of social behaviour, which leads to rapid social development.

When the social attitude of children is not favourable, their social recognition decreases. As a result, he shows no readiness to learn any new social behavior. This retards his social development.

(6) Social deprivation

 

When the child is not given the opportunity to meet other peers and persons, then it has a bad effect on his social development and this situation is called social deprivation.

The most important reason for social deprivation among children is that parents do not allow their children to mix with other children of the society.

Social deprivation is generally of two types - minor social deprivation and major social deprivation.

In minor social deprivation, children are not allowed to meet other peers or people for a few days, while in prolonged social deprivation, children are not allowed to meet other people for years.

 

Small social deprivation does not affect the social development of children that badly, but prolonged social deprivation badly affects the social development of children and increases the possibility of developing antisocial behavior in children.

(7) Over-dependency

 

Children below the age of 5 are dependent on other children or parents for most of their work. But, as their age increases, their ability to work on their own matures and they become independent.

 

For example, a child of 8 years, remains self-sufficient for 80% of the work, but if at this age the child completely depends on other children or parents for most of his work. Relies like a little child, So this is called overdependence.

It has been found from experimental studies that such highly dependent children become highly consultative and do not get much social acceptance by other members of their gang. 

The social development of such children is badly affected. It is clear that the social development of children depends on many factors. By paying proper attention to these factors, teachers and parents can give right direction to social development.