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Social Psychological Effects of Literacy by Language Combinations in an African Society *
Author(s) -
Armer J. Michael
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-682x.1992.tb00284.x
Subject(s) - functional illiteracy , literacy , hausa , ideology , sociology , psychology , social psychology , linguistics , political science , pedagogy , law , philosophy , politics
According to the “autonomous” model, literacy in any language produces uniform consequences for individuals such as interest in current affairs, personal efficacy, status aspiration, and logical thinking. This view is countered by the “ideological” model which holds that consequences vary across languages depending upon the processes through which literacy is acquired and the purposes for which it is intended. These competing views are tested with survey data from 576 young men in Kano, Nigeria. Sixteen autonomous model dependent variables are regressed on dummy variables of illiteracy (the comparison category) and major literacy combinations in three languages–Arabic, Hausa, and English. The results show many insignificant effects and wide variations in coefficients for different literacy combinations, even when adjustments are made for Arabic literacy measurement limitations and for social selectivity in literacy acquisition. The evidence provides support for the ideological model of literacy consequences and has theoretical implications for the control and use of literacy for personal and social development.