| dc.description.abstract | Given the fact that change is an inevitable process in all societies, the aim of this thesis is to show the connection between social change and child-rearing practices in a small Maori community. The study is concerned with social change within New Zealand society, particularly amongst the Maori population of Hicks Bay and the effects of this on the family unit. Although the particular concern was with the influence of the mother-figure on the socialisation process and adaptability of the child, circumstances prevented the full inclusion of this latter part of the study within this thesis. However, a brief outline of these issues and their relevance to the particular Hicks Bay community is included. A sociological approach is adopted in parts of this study primarily from an anthropological perspective. Social Anthropology examines the different kinds of relationships within a society with particular emphasis on aspects of the culture that are common to other cultures; the institutionalized aspects of the society and the ideas and values that are associated with it. In this study, the influence of these factors on the social organisation of Hicks Bay is examined and the particular consequences of the socialisation process are described. | en_US |
