What makes people belong

The need to belong, also known as belongingness, refers to a human emotional need to affiliate with and be accepted by members of a group. This may include the need to belong to a peer group at school, to be accepted by co-workers, to be part of an athletic team, or to be part of a religious group. A sense of belonging involves more than simply being acquainted with other people. It is centered on gaining acceptance, attention, and support from members of the group as well as providing the same attention to other members.

The need to belong to a group also can lead to changes in behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes as people strive to conform to the standards and norms of the group. In social psychology , the need to belong is an intrinsic motivation to affiliate with others and be socially accepted.

This need plays a role in a number of social phenomena such as self-presentation and social comparison. What inspires people to seek out specific groups? In many cases, the need to belong to certain social groups results from sharing some point of commonality. For example, teens who share the same taste in clothing, music, and other interests might seek each other out to form friendships. Other factors that can lead individuals to seek out groups include:. People often present themselves in a particular way in order to belong to a specific social group.

For example, a new member of a high school sports team might adopt the dress and mannerisms of the other members of the team in order to fit in with the rest of the group.

People also spend a great deal of time comparing themselves to other members of the group in order to determine how well they fit in. This social comparison might lead an individual to adopt some of the same behaviors and attitudes of the most prominent members of the group in order to conform and gain greater acceptance. Our need to belong is what drives us to seek out stable, long-lasting relationships with other people. In Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs , belongingness is part of one of his major needs that motivate human behavior.

The hierarchy is usually portrayed as a pyramid, with more basic needs at the base and more complex needs near the peak. The need for love and belonging lie at the center of the pyramid as part of the social needs.

By belonging to a group, we feel as if we are a part of something bigger and more important than ourselves. While Maslow suggested that these needs were less important than the physiological and safety needs, he believed that the need for belonging helped people to experience companionship and acceptance through family, friends, and other relationships.

A study in college students found a positive link between a sense of belonging and greater happiness and overall well-being, as well as an overall reduction in the mental health outcomes including:.

There are steps you or a loved one who is struggling can take to increase sense of belonging. A sense of belonging is a crucial for good physical and mental health. If you continue to struggle with loneliness or the sense of not fitting in, talk to your doctor or mental health professional. They can help you to identify the root of your feelings and provide strategies for achieving belongingness.

Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Psychological need satisfaction, intrinsic motivation and affective response to exercise in adolescents. Psychol Sport Exerc. The need to belong and its association with fully satisfying relationships: A tale of two measures.

Pers Individ Dif. Renovating the pyramid of needs: Contemporary extensions built upon ancient foundations. Perspect Psychol Sci. Emotional intelligence, belongingness, and mental health in college students. Front Psychol. From the outside looking in: sense of belonging, depression, and suicide risk. If you like a product that was recommended anywhere on this website, please consider buying these products via the links on this site, to help keep this website running.

The need to belong is something I am aware of a lot in my life. In truth your fanciful creating skills has prompted me to start my own weblog now. Great ideas, very interesting article, well explained. Thank you very much it gave me a clear insight on the subject.

Asking questions are actually nice thing if you are not understanding anything fully, except this post presents pleasant understanding yet. Your email address will not be published. Skip to content.

Belonging: Why do we need a sense of belonging? Posted on January 16, by Lior. This entry was posted in Psychology and tagged psychology. Bookmark the permalink. Neyman says:. February 2, at pm. I love your blog with regards to Belonging. I really enjoyed reading this! July 9, at am. Roger says:. Lakesha says:. July 12, at am. Well put, sir, well put. Klef says:. July 21, at am. Sharky says:. Annie says:. May 19, at am. Woa, this article helps me a lot with my ESL essay.

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