A Study of the Social Behaviour of Rural and Urban Students Studying at the Higher Secondary School Level

Abstract

Social behavior is an important aspect of students’ personality development. Through social behavior, students establish relationships with family members, peers, teachers, and other members of society through cooperation, communication, adjustment, empathy, respect, and a sense of responsibility. The higher secondary level is an important stage of adolescence, during which students undergo rapid physical, mental, emotional, and social changes. At this stage, peer groups, social acceptance, self-confidence, freedom of expression, cooperation, and social identity assume particular importance. Therefore, understanding students’ social behavior is essential from the perspective of their overall personality and social development. Rural and urban environments provide students with different types of social experiences. Rural students are generally more closely connected with family, community, local traditions, and collective activities, whereas urban students have greater opportunities to interact with diverse social groups and are more exposed to modern lifestyles, technological resources, the internet, and various means of communication. These circumstances may influence students’ social behavior. The present study attempts to scientifically examine this potential difference. For the study, higher secondary schools in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh were selected. A total of 20 schools, comprising 10 aided and 10 self-financed schools, were included in the sample. The study compared the social behavior of rural and urban students as well as male and female students. Social behavior was measured using the scale developed by Dr. Ashok Kumar Irigala and Dr. Lawrence Kharluni. The major objectives of the study included comparing the social behavior scores of rural and urban male students and rural and urban female students. The collected data were analyzed using the independent-samples ‘t’ test. The findings indicate that differences in the social behavior of rural and urban students may not be attributable to geographical location alone; rather, they may be influenced by several factors, including family, school, social environment, availability of resources, access to technology, cultural conditions, and individual experiences. The significance of the study lies in the fact that its findings may help teachers, parents, school administrators, and educational policymakers understand the social needs of students. Qualities such as cooperation, leadership, empathy, discipline, and social responsibility can be developed among students through group work, sports, cultural programs, community service, collaborative learning, and life-skills-based activities. Thus, the present study is significant for understanding the social behavior of rural and urban higher secondary students and for creating an appropriate educational environment conducive to their balanced social and personality development.