INFLUENCE OF GROUPTHINK, GROUP COHESIVENESS AND DEINDIVIDUATION ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR TENDENCY AMONGST UNDERGRADUATES
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INFLUENCE OF
GROUPTHINK, GROUP COHESIVENESS AND DEINDIVIDUATION ON CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR
TENDENCY AMONGST UNDERGRADUATES
ABSTRACT
The study
investigated the influence of Groupthink, Group cohesiveness and Deindividuation
on Criminal behaviour of Undergraduates of Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot
Apkaden campus, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area and Obio Akpa campus, Oruk
Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A total of three
hundred and twelve (312) undergraduates made up of 166 males (54.1%) and 146
females (45.9%). These participants were selected using simple random sampling
technique. Their ages ranged from 17-35 years and their mean age was 22.52
years. Groupthink scale (Baptist, 2015), Psychological collectivism scale
(Jackson, Colquit, Wesson & Zapata-Phelan, 2006), Functions of identity
scale (Serafini & Adams, 2014) and Crime behaviour factor scale
(Animasahun, 2011) were the instruments used for data analysis. The study
utilized the Ex-post facto design. Multiple linear regression analysis was used
for data analysis. The findings of the study showed that Groupthink
independently predicted criminal behaviour (β = -13.04; t = -2.34; p<.05),
Group cohesiveness did not independently predict criminal behaviour, but had a
direct relationship with criminal behaviour (β = 0.24; t = 0.04; p>.05).
Deindividuation was not an independent predictor of criminal behaviour (β =
-7.10; t = -1.35; p>.05). The findings showed that, Groupthink, Group
cohesiveness and Deindividuation jointly had an impact on Criminal behaviour (F
(3, 308) = 2.68; p<.05). Implications, conclusions, suggestions and further
studies were made in line with the findings of this study.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Criminal
behaviour amongst undergraduates has been a major issue in the school system in
Nigerian universities. Literally, Paranjape (2011) defined criminal behaviour
as a person’s actions or inaction which tends to undermine the grand norms
governing a given society such action may be tantamount to violation of the
social contract and mutual consensus entered into by members of the society.
Behaviour that does not conform to the cultural norms or laws of a given
society at a particular time and is often times negatively sanctioned, is
referred to as criminal. This implies that non-conformity to a given set of
laws or norms that are accepted by a significant number of people in a
community, society or group is a criminal act. Society highly values conformity
to socially accepted behaviour and expects it to be accepted and upheld by its
members.
Criminal
behaviour takes various forms. Bribery and corruption is one of the criminal
behaviours exhibited amongst some students and lecturers in higher institutions.
This menace is eating up the growth of Nigeria, because, undergraduates who had
indulged in corrupt practices when in school will also do the same when given
an opportunity to lead in the society. With the high rate of corruption in
Nigeria, it can be said that, most of these corrupt leaders might have involved
themselves in one criminal act or the other when they were in school
Hallack and
Passion (2007) in their work pointed out that, corruption constitutes a serious
threat to the successful achievement of educational goals. There are various
degrees of corrupt practices.
Nta (2012)
reported that, from petitions of students, members of the university staff,
unions and others stakeholders, corrupt practices in the university system
includes; admissions racketing, examination misconduct, falsification of
academic records such as transcripts and a few to mention. Igbinovia (2003)
observed that, there is hardly any Nigerian living today that can claim that he
or she has not advertently or inadvertently, by commission or omission been
involved in crimes or benefitted directly or indirectly from criminality or
deviance or the commission of crimes or the proceeds of criminality. The
various forms of criminal behaviour will be streamlined to three aspects which
are; examination misconduct, sexual harassment and vices.
Examination
misconduct as a criminal behaviour is mostly practiced by undergraduates. It
refers to cheating in examination conditions to get unearned marks with the aim
of passing an examination. Some of the ways or methods of exams misconduct
includes; the use of bullets (small papers with answers on), impersonating,
sorting, leakage of examination questions, swapping of exams sheets and to name
a few. Some factors which enhance students are the relationship they have
amongst some lecturers known as the connivance between some students and some
lecturers, poor supervision and invigilation, overcrowding, low morale amongst
lecturers and laziness on the part of the students, un-conducive study environments
and the prevailing morale decadence in Nigeria. Pratt (1981) stated that,
students are likely to cheat when they are not prepared for examinations.
Examination malpractice has become an epidemic in the Nigerian university
system. It is so embarrassing that the federal military government in 1984
promulgated a decree (Decree 20) to deal with exams malpractice; Part of it
reads; any person who fraudulently or with intent to cheat or secure any unfair
advantage to himself or any other person, or in abuse of his office, produces
or sells any question paper intended for examination of persons, at any
examination specified in section 3 (27) (c) of this decree, shall be guilty of
an offence and on conviction be sentenced to 21 years imprisonment (Fagbemi,
1998, p.17). Despite these laws, examination misconduct has been on the
increase and this is due to the non-implementation of the laws, reasons for it
being, the low moral standards in most universities, students fear of failure,
inadequate preparedness and 419 syndromes that have eroded deeply into the life
of the society. Fayombo (2004) outlined the reasons for examination malpractice
into psychological and sociological factors. Due to the overdependence of
certification in Nigeria, it has led the populace to acquire certificates
either legally or illegally. This has had a negative impact on the quality of
education to the extent that a lot of graduates cannot defend their Degrees.
Sexual
harassment is regarded a criminal behaviour due to its negative impact on most
undergraduates. Sexual harassment is defined as unsolicited, unwelcome and
unreciprocated sexual overture from a person to elicit unwanted sexual
relations from another person Aluede (2000). Sexual harassment could be
physical (rape) and verbally.
According to
Scheffer (2000) sexual harassment in schools is described as an unwelcome
behaviour of a sexual nature that makes one uncomfortable, fearful or
powerless, and may interfere with the victim’s academic work. Various causes
which could lead to the antecedent of sexual harassment include; lack of norms
of morality, personality disorder, abuse of power, indecent dressing and lust.
This has been the major source of sexual harassment amongst undergraduates. The
reason why this behaviour is not frequently reported is that, the victims are
always embarrassed due to the stigmatization accompanied by it, reporting
becomes impossible.
Vices
amongst undergraduates have been a calamity to the university system. It is
quite difficult to see a university that is void of vices. Vice is a latin word
‘victium’ meaning defect. It is defined as a bad habit or immoral activities.
Examples include; prostitution, cultism, murder, disruption of properties and a
few to mention. Emphasis would be based on cultism. Cultism has grown rapidly
in recent years in some universities. In the University of Uyo, cases of
cultism have being a serious problem. Students have reportedly being harassed
by cult groups around the campuses. Inyang (2017), states; cultists tends to
intimidate other students and lecturers into carrying out their will, thereby
causing terror in the university system.
Peer
pressure is a major cause of youth’s involvement in social vices. Students
especially the 100 level students are mostly victims of cultist activities.
Students join cult for some reasons such as; the quest for power, desire for
revenge, search for protection and peer group influence. Cultism in Nigeria has
been a major cause of death. In May 2017, a student of the Cross River
University of Technology (CRUTECH) and other unidentified persons were killed
in a cult clash between the Vikings and the KKK confraternity.
Based on the
following factors that could lead to the antecedent of criminal behaviour, it
is pertinent to note that, group dynamics plays a major role in the antecedent
of criminal behaviour.
A factor
that may influence criminal behaviour tendency is groupthink.
Groupthink
as a psychological concept was initially established in 1972 by Irving Janis.
He used the term to describe how certain conditions can lead a group to be
highly satisfied with what turns out to be an ineffective decision. Groupthink
is a mode of thinking in which members of a highly cohesive group strive for
unanimity and consensus, overriding their motivation to realistically appraise
alternative courses of action, Janis (1982). This phenomenon according to Janis
documented some symptoms such as; stereotyped views of out-groups; negative
view of ‘enemy’ make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary or
illusion of unanimity.
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