Research Article, Rrpy Vol: 0 Issue: 0

IMPACT OF EMOTIONS ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF CHILDREN BETWEEN AGES 12-14 YEARS

S.G.D.KHURESHI^*

CHIRALA, PRAKASAM, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

*Corresponding Author : S.G.D.KHURESHI CHIRALA, PRAKASAM, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA
Tel: 9110587110
E-Mail: khureshimails123@gmail.com

Received: October 30, 2020 Accepted: November 13, 2020 Published: November 20, 2020

Citation: KHURESHI SGD (2020) IMPACT OF EMOTIONS ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF CHILDREN BETWEEN AGES 12-14 YEARS. Res Rev Phys 1:S4.

Abstract

Keywords: Psychology, Psychiatry, Neuroscience

Introduction

There is a popular saying that human beings are “speaks of intelligence afloat on seas of emotion”

The term emotion is derived from Latin term ‘emovere’ that means to stir, to agitate, to move, Hence, an emotion is referred to as a stirred up state of agitation. The degree of agitation varies with the intensity of emotional state. We feel agitated varies with the intensity of emotional state. We feel agitated or excited when we experience anger, fear, joy, grief, disgust etc… There are innumerable emotional behaviours found in all thoughts and actions. An emotional state consists of feelings, impulse, physical and psychological reactions. A feeling is the experience of pleasantness or unpleasantness. An impulse is the disposition to destroy or to retreat. Physical and psychological components refer to the actual body movements. Crow and crow have defined emotions as follows:-

An emotion is an effective experience that accompanies generalised inner adjustment and mental and psychological stirred states in the individual, and that shows itself in overt behaviour.

Mc dougall considering instincts as an innate tendency maintains that all the specific human emotions are derived from instinct. According to him an emotion is an affective experience that one undergoes during an instinctive excitement. He discovered 14 basic instincts. Each and every emotion whatever it may be is the product of some instinctive behaviour. These instincts with their associated emotions are listed as follows.3. Methods

A database search was conducted in PubMed by the author for all articles using the following terms “seroma,” “sclerotherapy,” and “tetracycline.” All English-language studies were included. The inclusion criterion was the use of tetracycline as sclerotherapy to treat or prevent seroma.

A literature review was performed to evaluate the effect of tetracycline in treating or preventing postoperative seroma (Table 1).

From the above definitions we can conclude the following important information about emotions.

1. Emotional experiences are associated with some instincts or biological drives.

2. Emotions are the product of perception.

3. The core of an emotion is feeling.

4. Every emotional experience involves many physical and physiological changes in the organism

In addition to the above characteristics, emotions have some more specific things to be told about.

1. Emotions are prevalent in every living organism.

2. They are present in all stages of development.

3. Emotions are the most individual and they differ from person to person.

4. Some emotions can be aroused by a number of different stimuli.

5. One emotion can give birth to a number of emotions.

6. There is negative correlation between the upsurge of emotions and intelligence.

Active factors in the arousal of an emotion are 1. People, objects and conditions. 2. Factors within the individual such as his attitudes, desires, interests and ideals, his health, self- understanding, and self control. The same stimulus may arouse a strong emotion at one time, and a mild emotion at another. Different persons may respond with different emotions to the same stimulus. It is important to consider both the objective as well as subjective factors in the development of emotions.

The influence of maturation on the development of emotional reactions was studied by a number of psychologists. Jones and Jones found that there was no fear of snakes up to the age two, some hesitation in approaching and touching in between three and three and half, but definite fear reactions at the age of four years.

Washburn observed young children give negative response to strange faces; this suggests child’s ability to discriminate between strangers and familiar faces. Good enough reports that ten-year old deaf and blind girls when subjected to different kinds of emotionprovoking situations, exhibited emotions of joy, anger etc. these overt emotional responses were unlearned.

According to Gesell distinct cries of hunger, anger and pain can be differentiated when the child is four weeks old. Bridge has made an extensive study of emotions of babies ranging in age from birth to two years. She noted that the emotional response of the newborn is undifferentiated excitement. By the age of three months the general excitement is differentiated into distress, if the situation is unpleasant and into delight, if the situation is pleasant once. Between three to six months the distress further becomes differentiated into anger, disgust and fear, jealously appears by the age of 18 months.

Emotions of young children are quite unlike the emotions of adolescents or adults. Hurlock suggests three major characteristics of a child’s emotion.1.A young child makes no attempt to control his emotions; hence there is an element of violence in a child’s emotions.2.A child’s emotions are short lived after the emotions are expressed they disappear quickly.3.A child swing from one emotional state to another-from love to hate or laughter to tears in the same sweep.

During the later years when a person reaches complete maturity his pattern of emotion is influenced by the values and ideals that he cherishes the norms of his culture and his sense of responsibility towards others. Crow and Crow states of an emotionally mature person that he is the one who has the ability to overcome tension to disregard certain emotion stimulators that affect the young and to view himself objectively as he evaluates his assets and liabilities and strives towards an improved integration of his thoughts, his emotions attitudes and his overt behaviour.

Significance of the problem

Academic talent may perhaps be best understood from a societal perceptive in which characteristics of the individual and characteristics of the environment both contribute to the expression of talent. Understanding in what way academically talented and average children differ in their social and psychological traits is an important area of study for several reasons. First at an individual level it is important so that the educators might create classroom environment and cater to socially wise and psychologically sound differential treatment in the light of such differences and maximise achievement potential. And in turn help prevent the possible frustration from a bright child’s unrealized potential.

It has been proved that intelligence and academic achievement are interlinked and that intelligence and emotions are also inter related. We can boldly say that emotions have an impact either positive or negative in the academic talent of an individual child.

What I would like to show is that an emotionally charged child, though otherwise intelligent, lets the emotions take predominance over his intellect leading to change in academic achievement. I want to study the impact that these emotions have on an individual’s academic achievement.

Objectives of the study

1. The objectives of the study are as follows:-

2. To evaluate the relation between emotions and academic achievements.

3. To compare the influence of different social factors on academic achievement.

4. To study the degree of relation between environment and emotions.

5. To study the degree of influence of peer group on environmental balance.

6. To understand the impact of school environment on academic achievement.

7. To investigate the influence of emotions caused by socioeconomic states on academic achievement.

The above- framed objectives are followed by the researcher related to the study presented and hypothesis framed for the study.

Hypothesis

The earlier framed objectives and the researches related to the study-‘IMPACT OF EMOTIONS ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF CHILDREN BETWEEN AGES 12-14 YEARS’, gave the researcher an idea to frame certain hypotheses which are mentioned below.

Social-economical factor – the different life conditions may bring about life styles that have relevance to academic performance. Therefore it is hypothesized that children will show better performance with regards to their socio economic states.

Home environment – it is hypothesized that students perform better who have better home environment.

School environment – it is hypothesized that a stimulating school atmosphere, responsive and caning teachers and authorities who promote curiosity and observations and individual attention on children will have a better impact on children and their academic achievement.

Peer group- it is hypothesized that peers have an impact on children’s emotions, which will reflect on their academic achievement by and large.

Research design:

The study thus selected is worked for the verification of the hypothesis through testing by using the procedures enlisted in this chapter.

Area covered:

The area of study chosen is closely connected with academic achievement of children between the ages of the ages of 12- 14 years. So school from prakasam district have been covered.

Sample drawn:

This being a phenomenon found in most schools, a random sampling of eighty students from schools in prakasam district was taken. As this study is pertaining to students all people involved in the field of education as also other experts have given their opinions for the causes. That is headmaster/ headmistress, teachers, students, parents, educationalists and psychologists.

The view and opinions of all the above- mentioned personnel have been taken into consideration while concluding this study.

Tools developed

After speaking to children, parent’s teachers, educationalists and psychologists the researchers divided the causes for emotional disturbances in children into 4 categories as given below.

Home environment

School environment

Peer pressure

Socio economic

A questionnaire was prepared based on these 4 categories. The questionnaire is in simple language with no ambiguity. Each question has 3 options of which they have to choose any one. As the topic is partly psychological in nature the options given are a bit subjective. At the same time each option is very distinct. The questionnaire consists of 32 questions fewer than 4 headings, 8 under each heading.

Analysis and inferences

The researcher has analyzed the data obtained in the following manner. The whole data was organized and subjected to further treatment for drawing conclusions.

As, mentioned earlier the topic under study includes 4 broad categories viz.

1. Home environment

2. School environment

3. Peer pressure

4. Socio economic

Each of the above categories was analyzed separately. This analysis was done by calculating the percentage of the responses to each question. The analysis is given below.

Responses of the students to Home environment

1. You have won the first prize in running but your mother does not think much about it:

a. Do you get depressed?

b. Do you get angry?

c. You do not care what your mother thinks.

In the question above 62.5% of the students have opted for the alternative {a} showing that children of this age group still crave for their mothers apron strings. And in these days of nuclear families where there is no one else to appreciate them a parent especially mother’s, appreciation/disapproval is very important and they should be careful when showing the same.

17.5% of the people opted for alternative b showing a negative attitude to the situations. Anger is a negative attitude emotional and negative emotions lead to emotional instability. Emotional instability takes the mind away from the studies and thus these students’ grades are negatively affected.

20% of the students have opted for the alternative these students fall into the carefree category who do thing for their own pleasures.

You are constantly compared to your younger brother by your parents

a) Do you get angry with your parents

b) Get angry with your brother

c) Not care for what your parents say

Anger is an emotion, which is common in all age groups.

Anger itself is a negative emotion. Yet, if the anger is directed at the person who has caused it, then to some extent we can say that it is a positive reaction. This has been demonstrated by 26.5% of the children when they opted for alternatives

On the other hand, 41.25% of children have shown a negative attitude to the situation, which is demonstrated by their opting for alternative (b). Comparisons are obvious at any time for anyone but when one is compared unfavourably, especially to one’s own sibling, it triggers a negative emotion, viz, anger. But when this anger is directed at the sibling being compared with, who, who has no role in the entire situation, and then it becomes a doubly negative emotion, which drains the child emotionally and tells upon all his faculties. In fact, he uses all his energy in fighting off his sibling especially if the comparisons are about studies, instead of studying harder he may lose all interest in his studies.

A good 32.5% have shown that they are indifferent to what their say. They are carefree. In fact, we can say that they are self confident and such any sort of comparison does not affect them.

3.Your parents do not allow you to party with friends, but they themselves go out- It is noticeable in this situation that a good 61.25% of the children have a positive attitude. By opting for the alternative

a) They have shown that not only have a healthy respect for their parents but also believe that their parents must be as they are more experienced and take decisions which are to the welfare of their children.

13.75% of children opted for the alternative (b). These children have a carefree attitude to the situations that do things for their pleasure.

25% of the children opted for the alternative(c). These have attributed a negative attitude to the situation. They feel that their parents are curbing their freedom. They also feel that their parents are curbing their freedom. They also feel that their parents have one set of rules for their children and another for themselves. This negative thinking comes out of emotional disturbance. So, when the parents tell the children to be at home a study when they are out themselves, these children have a grouse against there. Parents and just to split them they turn their minds away from studies, which in turn, affects their grades.

4 Your parents have put you in a hostel for your betterment in studies. Does the resultant separation from your family

a. Makes you lose interest in studies.

b. Makes you work harder to forget your families

c. Makes you enjoy with your friend to forget your family.

A healthy 62.5% have opted the alternative (b), which is healthy attitude to the given situations they have taken the separation positively and having realized the impact of their parent’s actions, attack their studies with renewed vigour so that by improving their grades, this separation perios can be minimized.

On the other hand, children who are emotionally very dependent on the family or on a particular member of the family are unable to cope with the separation and resent the cause, which has brought about this situation. In this particular case, as education is the root cause of the separation, they show resentment against studies. They lose interests and their grades fall even further. This is represented by 18.25%of the children opting for alternative (b).

8.25% have opted for the alternative © showing a carefree attitude. They easily replace their family with friends and continue with their lives.

5. your father has separated from your mother, but he comes to your school to see you-

5.1you tell your father to come home to see you.

5.2you want to change your school

5.3you are quite happy seeing your father.

45% of the children have opted for the alternative (a) showing a positive attitude. The separation of parents has not unduly affected the emotionally equilibrium. Yet by asking his to home this group has demonstrated a preference for privacy. They do not like their private life to be made public.

Another 45% of children are quite happy to see their father. This again is a healthy attitude in one respect but may be construed as negative too. Perhaps the child may be emotionally disturbed staying only with the mother as hence feels extremely happy seeing the father. Such children may not be able to concentrate on their studies because of the separation from their father.

A miniscule 10% of the children want to change their school because they may feel ashamed of heir condition. Or they may be much influenced by what their mother tells them against the father that they do not want to see him. Either way we find such children emotionally disturbed or even gifted children show a sudden drop in their grades.

6. Both your parents are working , which leaves you to yourself most of the time to compensate that, your parents provide you with a lot of pocket money-

6.1 do you go to cinema bunking school

6.2 do you buy useful to you

6.3 Do you enjoy with friends.

When both parents are working, they will be anxious of their children. They do tend to give their children more money so that in their absence, their children should not suffer for want of anything.

Children who are emotionally balanced understand this and so use this money for useful purposes. This has been demonstrated by a most of the children – a healthy 82.5% who opted for the alternative (b) 16.25% of the children have opted for alternative(c), viz, enjoying with friends. Enjoying with friends. Enjoying with friends after the school hours does not constitute and negativity of attitude. It shows an attitude of sharing which as a positive trend.

But when children misuse the money given to them by bunking schools and going to cinema, then it is definitely a negative attitude. This trend has been shown by 1.25% of the children who have opted for the alternative (a) when children bunk school and have opted for the alternative (A) when children bunk school and go to cinema they are cheating their parents. This is because they have are cheating their parents. This is because they have developed a negative attitude of resentment to their parent’s absence. And by cheating them, they feel they have taken revenge on them. This thinking comes from an emotionally disturbed mind.

7. Your parents pamper your sister more than you-

7.1 do you resent your parents

7.2 do you resent your sister

7.3 Are you indifferent to the situation?

Some parents do tend show favour to one of the children as compared to others.

This will create resentment in the person who is not a recipient of such favour. This is a natural human emotion. Yet, is directed against the parents who are showing a marked favour for one child, and then the anger is in a positive direction. This has been demonstrated by 17.5% of the children who opted for the alternative (a).

22.5% of the children have shown a negative mindset by opting for the alternative (b). They are resenting the person who is shown favour, In this case the sister through she has no role to play. She has not told her parents to show her extra favour. So, in showing anger towards their sister, these children have demonstrated that their anger is misdirected.

A good 60% of the students have opted for alternative showing equanimity to the situation. These children do not mind their parents showing favour to another sibling as long as their needs met. It is a healthy attitude and comes of a positive mental equilibrium.

8. Your mother does not tell any work to your brother because he is a boy –

8.1 you hate your mother for it

8.2 you hate your brother for it

8.3 you hate yourself for being a girl

Parents especially mothers, show a marked preference for Boys. In India, mothers pamper their sons a lot. They are overfed and under worked by their doting mothers. This naturally brews resentment in the girls of the family. Some direct their anger at the mother, which is in the right direction. 42.5% of the children have demonstrated this trend by opting for the alternative (a). A few have misdirected their anger at the brothers. This number is just 13.75% of the students who have opted for the alternative (b).

But when the girls start hating themselves for being what they are, it definitely is a negative attitude. None in this world gets to choose their sex; everyone has to accept the sex they are born in. UN acceptance of the inevitable is a negative attitude.

In the above case, children who show anger towards the mother are quite normal in their reaction. To extent anger against the brother, the receiver of his mother’s favours is also quite normal.

But anger against oneself for being a girl comes from a disturbed mindset. This has been demonstrated by as much as 43.75% of the students, which is equal – even slightly more than the students who show anger against mother.

This is a very disturbing trend, which needs immediate attention from all concerned to immediately, and then it may grow to epidemic proportions. Since this problem is related to girls, who are the future mothers, it becomes doubly important to give it serious thought.

These children have demonstrated emotional disturbance, which if left unchecked will lead to emotional instability and lack of interests in studies. In the long run, this will then be passed on to their children. Thus, the trend continues which is not healthy of the society as a whole.

Conclusions and Suggestions

5.1 Since time is immemorial, education has been the backbone of civilisation. Today the need for education has only increased. Total literacy of the country is the aim of every government. The government is also spending huge sums in this regard. Yet we find many dropouts from only the government schools but also private schools.

It is surprising to note that, the maximum number of dropouts stop schooling, at the onset of adolescences. They then go on to become social dropouts with some going into becoming anti-social elements and a threat to civilised society.

The reasons for children dropping out of schools, especially at the onset of adolescence are mainly, due to emotional imbalance. Vulnerability of the age that is 12-14 years is a very important reason. This is the age when the human body undergoes tremendous physical and psychological changes. These changes are quite bewildering and cause immense mental strain on the young minds. This is the time, when the child needs the comforting words of his parents as well as teachers, explaining the change so that the child is equipped to cope with them.

But, these days when both the parents have to make both ends meet, the child is mostly left to himself. The child is full of questions, which he is unable to comprehend. He waits for his parents to answer themselves are so tired, that they are unable to devote quality time for their children. With the results that the child remains unanswered and frustrated. The parents comforts themselves with the thinking that they are after all working so hard only to provide their children with material comforts of course they do realize that they are not giving enough time to their children. To cover up this lapse on hither part they give money quite liberally to their children.

 

Frustrated by lack of proper response to their curiosity in their parents the children become emotionally disturbed they turn to their peers for answers Their peers themselves are ill informed. Emotional disturbance coupled with money in their pockets they take recourse to cheap books, movies and other bad habits. This life takes more interesting than the drudgery of studies. Sometimes preferential treatment on the part of the parents towards a child disturbs the other child emotionally. They lose interests in studies and lose their grades. If this lack of interests in studies and fall in academic achievement is not checked, then there is the fear of these children becoming anti social in their behaviour.

Another important reason for emotional disturbance is the school environment. Children spend a considerable part of their waking hours in school. It is therefore very important that they feel comfortable at school.

But many times they face a lot of emotional disturbances at the school. The reasons could range from change of class teacher, change of sections or even the attitude of particular teacher. Sometimes a teacher may not notice the effort that a student has to put in to improve his grades. On the teacher may point out the child’s mistakes in front of the whole class and often in quite harsh terms. Many teachers also show preferential treatment towards their pet students

The students especially the lady teachers are often seen as second mothers especially by children in the age group of 12-14 years, an age when the child is unable to cut himself off completely from his mother’s apron strings. When their teachers hurt children’s self esteem with their attitude and behaviour they become emotionally disturbed. Such emotional disturbance often leads to disinterests in the particular subject that is taught by the offending teacher or complete loss of interests in studies altogether. This results in a fall in grades and academic achievement the affected children.

There are bound to be ups and downs in every individual’s life. But if there is a sudden fall in the family income due to some unforeseen circumstances such as loss of father’s job, a girls marriage etc, it affects the young minds and disturbs their emotional balance to such an extent, that they keep mulling over their situations so much so as to lose interests in other aspects of life including studies.

Sometimes parents, in their zeal to give the best education to their children, put their wards in very prestigious but costly school where most of the children are from rich families. They do pay the fees in time but are unable to cope with their children’s demands for costly gadgetry like the latest bikes, or large amounts of money as pocket expenses when the children see their peers in good clothes on costly bikes spending lavishly in the canteen every day, they become emotionally distressed at their poor economic status.

Suggestions

1. It is desirable that parents put aside their preoccupations and spend time with their children.

2. It is better that parents lead their support and guidance, especially to adolescents.

3. Parents need not to give preferential treatment to any one child. They are expected to treat all their children equally.

4. It is suggested that parents should not vent their frustrations arising are their workplace on the children as this will lead to emotional disturbance and imbalance.

5. It is better for parents not to be too liberal with the money they give their children. They also need to keep an eye on the way their children are using this money.

6. As their peer influence children in this age group, it is important that presents keep an eye on the company that their children keep.

7. Teachers are expected to be impartial towards the students.

8. It is suggested that if a child’s mistake has to be pointed out it is advisable not to point out a child’s mistake in front of the whole class. It is better to take them aside and tell them about it.

9. Even if the child is to be punished, punishment must not hurt the self-esteem of the child as this learns something from it.

10. The punishment may be such that the child learns something from it.

11. It is advisable that teachers not show their frustrations of their home front or their work on the children.

12. This is an age when the child experiences an exuberance of physical energy. The school need to provide enough space for the children to outdoor games. To release their physical energy as this is also cause for emotional disturbances in some of the children

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