CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY 

Humans are sociable organisms that like to live with others of their species. Humans gradually learn the behaviors and concepts that prepare them for social life, beginning in infancy. According to Harlows, this process of socialization occurs naturally when parents and others steer their children toward the behaviors, beliefs, objectives, and reasons that society deems proper (2020). Young animals, including humans, acquire deep bonds to their parents soon after birth, according to Levine (2018). The relationship ensures that offspring remain close to be fed, safeguarded, and trained to act adaptively.

Parents from various cultures, subcultures, and socioeconomic strata have varying values, concerns, and ideas about life, which impact their birthing habits. The contact between the caregiver and the child is viewed as critical to all psychological maturation in current developmental psychology theories. A child's parents and the emotional climate of the house have a significant impact on the type of person the newborn will become. Parental attitudes toward the newborn are essential during the early years. Face-to-face play is a ubiquitous element of the early connection between caregivers (parents) and newborns throughout cultures. The frequency, duration, and purpose of these episodes, however, varied between cultures. For example, mothers in the United States use more social overtures (such as tickling) to stimulate and excite their babies; mothers in Kenya are more soothing and quieting in their initiatives (Vine et al, 2016); and Japanese mothers typically focus on establishing mutual intimacy by maintaining eye contact with their infants as well as kissing and hugging (Vine et al, 2016). (Bornstein and Lambs, 2021). In many non-western cultures, fathers appear to be active partners, while older siblings and other people also take an active role in newborn care and social play with babies (Thonick, 2019).

When a basic attachment is developed, the parent is more likely to engage in more chatting, rocking, and holding. This responsive social stimulation improves the infant's eye contact, chattering, and smiling, further cementing the bond between parent and child. However, genuine maturity may be measured in part by an individual's developing awareness of and interest in other people, as well as a respect of their rights and interests and a readiness to sacrifice personal desires for the greater benefit of the larger number (Yarrow, 2018). A significant training issue is expanding the child's social sense as he matures. The difference between a "spoiled, unhappy, poorly adjusted child and a lovable youngster who is making appropriate social changes" is represented by the outcome. Bowlby (2020) proposed that attachment is the loving tie formed between a newborn and his or her caretakers and is a necessary component of optimal functioning. Bowlby (2020) thinks that every kid, like the young of other animal species, is gifted with a set of built-in behaviors (e.g., smiling, grabbing, sobbing, staring) that serve to keep the parent nearby and hence boost the child's chances of survival. Contact with the parent also ensures that the infant is nourished, although Bowlby was keen to emphasize that food is not the basis for attachment. Instead, the attachment relationship has deep biological foundations and is best understood within an evolutionary context in which species survival is paramount.

Surprisingly, a kid born into a warm atmosphere with serene and loving parents is more likely to grow up happily, giving affection to others, particularly his or her classmates at school or at home. An undesired kid who begins to feel dissatisfaction and rejection at a young age as a result of the attitudes of his or her parents and other people in his or her surroundings is more likely to grow up to be an unhappy child. By the time the child reaches adolescence, his character is formed by his early experiences. This is because most children do not get along with their parents because of their parents' negative and irritating attitudes. Most parents abuse their children, and their actions do not foster a positive bond between them and their children. However, it is mostly at the adolescent period that parents begin to notice aberrant behavior in their kid when he or she fails to fulfill their expectations, without considering the context in which the child was raised (Adindu, 2018).

Bernhardt (2020) believes that a lack of good and healthy relationships between parents and their children causes social awkwardness, which causes him (the adolescent) to be loud and noisy, to show off, to swing quickly from one mood to another, to occasionally revert to childish behavior, and to have periods of rebellion to authorities of both parents and adult members of society. All of these and other related patterns of teenage behavior may be difficult for parents to comprehend and accept. Constant criticism, nagging, or punishment, according to Adamson (2020), are more likely to make the child's behavior worse. Children with nagging and punishing parents have children that are aggressive, wicked, disobedient, and have a bad adjustment to the norms and values of their community. As a result of being raised in an unfavorable family setting, these adolescents grow up to be aggressive against other children in their environment or at school.

1.2Statement of Problem

It is a general notion that a child who is birthed into a warm atmosphere with tranquil and loving parents is more likely to grow up happy, expressing affection to others, particularly his or her classmates at school or at home. On the other hand Onyeoma (2021) opined that an undesired child who begins to feel dissatisfaction and rejection at a young age as a result of the attitudes of his or her parents and other people in his or her surroundings is more likely to grow up to be an unhappy child. By the time the child reaches adolescence, his character is formed by his early experiences. This is because, according to Ekpenyong (2021), most children do not have good relationships with their parents because of their parents' negative and frustrated attitudes. Most parents abuse their children, and their actions do not foster a positive bond between them and their children. However, according to Duyile (2022), it is mostly at the teenage period that parents begin to notice deviant behaviors in their kid when he or she fails to fulfill their expectations, without considering the backdrop they have supplied for the child's growth.

In contrast, a lack of good and healthy relationships between parents and their children causes social awkwardness, which causes him (the adolescent) to be loud and noisy at times, tending to show off, swinging quickly from one mood to another, occasionally reverting to childish behavior, and having periods of rebellion to authorities of both parents and adult members of society. All of these and other related patterns of teenage behavior may be difficult for parents to comprehend and accept. Upon this backdrop the researcher seeks to analyze the influence of parent-child bonding on adolescent social orientation.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The broad objectives of this study is  to analyze the influence of parent-child bonding on adolescent social orientation. The specific objectives of this study include:

i.          To determine if parent-child bonding effects children's community social orientation.

ii.        To explore whether parents' socioeconomic situation influences how they bond with their children regarding sexual orientation.

iii.      To investigate if parental opinions regarding morality influence adolescent social orientation.

iv.      To see if parents' cognitive and emotional control influence their children's social orientation.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were raised in this study:

i.          Does parent-child bonding effects children's community social orientation?

ii.        Does parents' socioeconomic situation influences how they bond with their children regarding sexual orientation?

iii.      Does parental opinions regarding morality influence adolescent social orientation?

iv.      Does parents' cognitive and emotional control influence their children's social orientation?

1. 1. This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research work
2. 2. As a source for additional understanding of the subject.
3. 3. As a source for ideas for your own research work (if properly referenced).
4. 4. For PROPER paraphrasing (see your university definition of plagiarism and acceptable paraphrase)
5. 5. Direct citing (if referenced properly)
Thank you so much for your respect to the authors copyright.