CHAPTER ONE
1.0       Introduction The study of every unit of social organization must eventually lead to an analysis of the interaction of its elements. According to Rummer (1996) social interactions are the acts, actions, or practices of two or more people mutually oriented towards each other’s selves, that is, any behaviour that tries to affect or take account of each other’s subjective experiences or intentions. This means that the parties to the social interaction must be aware of each other, have each other’s self in mind as in the case of the adolescents of the youths culture group under study. Generally, the adolescents in our institutions of learning interacts and are influenced by various aspects of life such as dressing – same clothing styles, same hair-do, diet, friends, sexual behaviour, use of same slang expression, entertainment and attitude towards authority figures and academic pursuits. The youth may be single sex, mixed group of young people who are usually bound together by same emotion such as a group is commonly found within a school, youth club, church or mosque. In each case the adolescent encounters his mates and social interactions ensue immediately. Members of the youth culture, have strong feelings of friendship for one another and help provide opportunity to develop social skill that will help the youth make social, emotional and personal adjustment. Moreover, social interaction requires mutual orientation. Therefore, peer acceptance is very fundamental and crucial at this stage as attested to by Osarenren (2005). She said, adolescents who are liked and accepted (star) by their peers are more likely to be psychologically healthier and self confident than those rejected (isolate) by their peers. This is in agreement with Nwadinigwe (2004) who opines that when the adolescent is not able to relate well, he becomes withdrawn, feels rejected, depressed and frustrated. He further added that his level of concentration in school, motivation to learn and performance in subjects invariably becomes negatively affected. When this type of situation arises, Osarenren (2005) asserts that it is worthwhile for an older adult, preferably an understanding elder, counsellor, parent or teacher to intervene. The interaction may lead to the beginning of a more constructive interpersonal relationship for a rejected adolescent. But, Sokan and Akinade (1994) opined that the generation gap syndrome often causes conflicts between parents/adult differences, there is bound to be incongruence in views, beliefs and even attitudes. According to Anusiem (1987), some observers pointed out that youth of today are more rebellious, more troubled emotionally more promiscuous sexually, less idealistic, more critical of values and standards of the adult culture (hence the so-called generation gap), more disengaged from these values than in order times. These observers also cite demonstrations and strikes, riots in university campuses and other institutions of higher learning, so-called lack of respect for constituted authorities, increased use of drugs, confrontation with police and law enforcement agents, increase rate of pregnancy among school girls, drop-outs from schools and so on and emphasize that we are in troubled times. It is against this background that Siann and Ugwuegbu, in Anusiem (1987) argue that where society places excessive demands on adolescents, where it supplies no clear expectations of the future, and where society is changing so rapidly that the adolescent has no one to model himself on, adolescence may on occasion be a period of storm and stress’, not because adolescents are by nature emotionally unstable but because too much is being demanded of them. On this note, the need to understand and appreciate the youths as they relates with themselves is pertinent even as they undergo ‘The crisis period’ according to Osarenren (2005) which are exhibited in different forms of worries and concern such as identity formation, development of moral and values and quest for independence amongst others. Hence, the youth often times relating and depending on his peers who are facing similar problems and who are therefore sympathetic. Hurlock (1993), views socialization as a process of learning to conform to group standards, mores, and customs. It is a learning process which renders a person able to participate satisfactorily in a social group or society. Therefore, social orientation explores how comfortable the youth is when dealing with a lot of people on a regular basis. Hence, to Nwadinigwe (2004) when an individual receives proper socialization, he adjusts easily in the society. This study is therefore interested in investigating how the perceived youth culture influences the social orientation of undergraduates in University of Lagos.