ABSTRACT This study investigated influence of cultural background on students interpersonal relationship in Federal Colleges of Education in South-east geopolitical zone. Four research questions and four null hypothesis guided the study. A 24 item researcher developed questionnaire were administered to 1,875 students of Federal College of Education in the South-east geopolitical zone. The data collected were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation while t-test statistics were used to test the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The study found that: cultural background influences the level at which students relates with one another in school, religion influences students interpersonal relationship in school, ethnic nationality and affiliation influences students’ interpersonal relationship in school and interpersonal relationship among students of different cultural background could be improved via cultural integration, inter-ethnic marriage, respect for cultural values and adoption of one language as a mode of communication in school.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE- - - - - - - - - i

APPROVAL PAGE- - - - - - - - ii

CERTIFICATION- - - - - - - - iii

DEDICATION - - - - - - - - - iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS- - - - - - - v

ABSTRACT- - - - - - - - - vi

TABLE OF CONTENT- - - - - - - vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study - - - - - - 1

Statement of the Problem - - - - - - 6

Purpose of the Study - - - - - - - 7

Significance of the Study - - - - - - 8

Scope of the Study - - - - - - - - 10

Research Questions- - - - - - - - 10

Hypotheses- - - - - - - - - 11

CHAPTER TWO:

Review of Literature- - - - - - - 12

Conceptual framework - - - - - - - 12

Concept of Culture- - - - - - - - 12

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viii

Concept of Cultural Background - - - - - 14

Concept of Interpersonal Relationship - - - - 16

Factors Influencing Interpersonal Relationship- - 19

Effort made to improve Good Interpersonal Relationship

 Among People of Different Cultural Background in

Nigeria.- - - - - - - - - - 21

Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - 25

The Symbolic-Interaction Theory - - - - - 25

Conflict Theory - - - - - - - - 26

Systems Theory- - - - - - - - 26

Empirical Studies - - - - - - - 27

Summary of Literature review - - - - - 31

CHAPTER THREE

Research Method- - - - - - - - 33

Design of the Study- - - - - - - - 33

Area of the Study- - - - - - - - 33

Population of the Study - - - - - - - 34

Sample and Sampling Techniques- - - - - 34

Instrument for Data Collection:- - - - - 35

Validation of the Instrument. - - - - - - 36

Reliability of the Instrument:- - - - - - 36

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ix

Method of Data Collection - - - - - - 37

Method of Data Analysis- - - - - - - 37

CHAPTER FOUR

Presentation of results- - - - - - - 38

Research Question 1- - - - - - - 38

Research Question 2- - - - - - - 41

Research Question 3 - - - - - - - 43

Research Question 4- - - - - - - 46

Summary of the Findings- - - - - - - 51

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion, Conclusion And Summary - - - - 53

Discussion of the Findings- - - - - - 53

Conclusion of the study: - - - - - - 56

Educational Implication of the Findings- - - - 56

Recommendations - - - - - - - 57

Limitation of the study- - - - - - - 58

Suggestion for further study- - - - - - 59

Summary of study - - - - - - - 59

References- - - - - - - - - 61

Appendix