PSY 304 Week 5 Final: Belongingness

Belongingness

PSY 304 Lifespan Development

Belongingness

Belonginess is a natural need that we all carry for survival. According to the article titled, Exploring the Association between School Belonging and Emotional Health among Adolescents (2018), “the sense of belonging is described as significant affiliations between individuals and their surroundings–peoples, groups, or places” (Aslen, 2018, Pg. 4, Para. 1). Various theories of social and emotional human development along with biological and historical reasoning have a lot to say on why we as humans have a need for belongingness. In the following paragraphs, we will explore how an individual’s self-concept, self-esteem, and social interactions all have to do with our internal need for belonginess and the nurturing thereof.

An individual’s view of themselves is commonly known as one’s self-concept. The development of self-concept begins at birth and continues throughout late adulthood. Self-concept is learned and can change throughout one’s lifespan (Stoddard, Pierce, & Schmidt, 2016). Self-concept and the need to belong are closely connected. In theory, an individual can develop a positive self-concept through having a sense of belonging just as having a sense of belonging can help an individual develop a positive self-concept (Parisian, 2015).

We are hardwired from birth with the need for inclusion and a sense of belonging. We look for acceptance from our surroundings, family, friends, and other groups of individuals in our surroundings to feel like we belong. In the article titled, Social Identity Theory: Our Sense of Self Is Influenced by The Groups We Belong To, Dr. Charles Stangor (2011) states, “from the moment we are born and bonded with our parents, we begin the social cycle of inclusion: in family, relatives, schools, friends, relationships, associations and work. There is no escaping others because they validate our existence and reinforce our culture and identity. Others act as mirrors which reflect our existence. When this reflection is confusing, or does not match with our own self-perception, it leads to isolation or an identity crisis” (Ch.3.3.3, Para. 2). Failure to feel belonginess can produce negative feelings about one’s self and in return, can cause a person to develop a negative self-concept. Various theories such as Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development have suggested that because humans are naturally social beings, we cannot function properly without having a sense of belonging (Parisian, 2015).

Social developmental theories suggest that maintaining a positive self-esteem and self-image of self can fulfill a person’s need to belong. Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development expresses that individuals go through stages of “crisis’s” throughout life and completion of each crisis essentially could have a positive or negative outcome for personality development (McLeod, 2018). During the identity vs role confusion stage of development (12 to 18 yrs.), adolescents are actively searching for a sense of self and personal identity (McLeod, 2018). The positive outcome of completing this stage is a clear and definite sense of self (identity) thus creating a positive self-esteem and self-image. Following this stage is the intimacy vs isolation stage of development (18 to 40 yrs.) where the major conflict pertains to forming relationships and bonds (attachments) with other people. Successful completion of this crisis leads to happy and healthy relationships (sense of belonging) (McLeod, 2018).

It has been noted that individuals who have a secure attachment tend to have better relationships with others and tend to have more of a positive self-image of themselves (Çolakkadioglu, O., Akbas, T., & Uslu, S. K. 2017). Attachment, according to Shriner & Shriner (2014) is what individuals term as “love and affection” or “an enduring emotional bond between one person or animal and another” (8.2, Para. 12). Social connections are needed to form bonds and to form bonds, an individual must possess a healthy attachment style. Baumeister and Leary (1995) state in a study regarding the need to belong, “people need frequent personal contacts or interactions with other people. Ideally, these interactions would be affectively positive or pleasant, but it is mainly important that the majority be free from conflict and negative affect. People need to perceive that there is an interpersonal bond or relationship marked by stability, affective concern, and continuation into the foreseeable future. This aspect provides a relational context to one’s interactions with the other person, and so the perception of the bond is essential for satisfying the need to belong” (Pg. 500, Para. 8). In other words, positive interactions and social connections with others provides an individual with feelings and perceptions of closeness thus fulfilling their need to belong.

The need for belonging comes from the emotional need to make connections with others. Emotional developmental theories suggest that understanding one’s emotions as well as other people’s emotions and learning to come up with ways to manage such is crucial to forming healthy bonds with other individuals (Arslen, 2018). Those who are emotionally stable, are more capable of forming lasting relationships with others hence fostering one’s need to belong. Studies show that individuals are essentially hardwired to experience emotions and take those emotions and empathize with others. Individuals who can understand others emotions through their own experiences are able to form better bonds with other individuals. According to the text tilted, Emotions Promote Social Interaction by Synchronizing Brain Activity Across Individuals (2012), “neuroimaging studies have revealed common neural activation for perception and experience of emotional states such as pain, disgust, and pleasure. The automated mapping of others’ emotional states in one’s own body and brain has been proposed to support social interaction via contextual understanding: Sharing others’ emotional states provides the observers with a somatosensory framework that facilitates understanding their intentions and actions and allows the observers to “tune in” or “sync” with other individuals”. (Nummenmaa, Glerean, Viinikainen, Jääskeläinen, Hari, Sams, 2012, Pg. 1, Para. 2). In a nutshell, it is important to be in touch with not only your emotions, but also others in to foster good relationships and bonds. Fostering good relationships and bonds creates a healthy sense of belonging.

The need for belonginess is a survival mechanism that all humans are programmed with at birth. Baumeister and Leary (1995) discuss in their study titled, The Need to Belong: desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation, “the need to belong should be found to some degree in all humans in all cultures, although naturally one would expect there to be individual differences in strength and intensity, as well as cultural and individual variations in how people express and satisfy the need” (Pg. 499, Para. 3). Biological reasons such as various social and emotional developmental theories and give us a lot of insight as to why we feel the need for belonginess. Through our self-concept, self-esteem, and social interactions we nurture our need to belong.

Annotated Bibliography

Arslan, Gökmen. (2018). Exploring the association between school belonging and emotional health among adolescents. International Journal of Educational Psychology, v7 n1 p21-41 Feb 2018. (EJ1172404). [Online]. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1172404.pdf

To understand the sense of belonging in terms of adolescents and school, the authors performed a study to determine the “role of the school belonging in promoting emotional health based on the bidimensional model in high school adolescents” (Abstract). Various factors such as the effects on belonginess in terms of emotional wellbeing and emotional stress were evaluated. The results concluded with valuable information on mental health services in school settings.

This reading will serve as a scholarly explanation as to what a sense of belonging is.

Baumeister, R., Leary, M. (1995). The need to belong: desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin 1995, Vol. 117, No. 3, 497-529. [Online PDF]. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5744/8ececb4f70edd8b31ab1fc9625b398afcd29.pdf

In this review, the authors evaluate the need to belong and the human motivation and behaviors behind it. Baumeister and Leary detail various series of experimental studies, predictions and theories revolving an individual’s need to belong in terms of bonds such as cognitive functioning, theories of attachment, and biological reasoning. The authors also discuss orientations, outcomes, and developmental impacts to the subject of belongingness.

The information taken from this source will provide scholarly evidence as to the social concepts of attachment and forming social bonds in relation to the need to belong. It will also serve as a reference into the biological aspects of belonginess.

Çolakkadioglu, O., Akbas, T., & Uslu, S. K. (2017). Comparison between Couple Attachment Styles, Stress Coping Styles and Self-Esteem Levels. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(12), 176-187. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1165514.pdf

Çolakkadioglu, Akbas, and Uslu (2017) discuss the differences and correlations between individual attachment, stress coping styles and their correlation to couple relations. The authors conduct a study using married, engaged, and/or dating couples who have had a romantic partner for at least one month to determine the differences between attachment styles of couples and their coping with stress and self-esteem levels. The findings of the study determine that individuals with healthy attachment styles tend to have higher levels of self-esteem and have an easier time coping in stressful situations thus creating better communication skills and more positive relationship outcomes.

This discussion and study is relevant to this this discussion because it gives evidence about how having a healthy and secure attachment style leads to better relationships with others and positive self-image.

McLeod, S. (2018). Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Developmental Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

This online article gives a brief detail of Psychologist Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development. McLeod explains Erikson’s eight stages of development as well as an evaluation of personality development.

This article will serve as a description of Erik Erikson’s stages of development to explain the developmental crisis that both adolescents and young adults go through.

Nummenmaa, L., Glerean, E., Viinikainen, M., Jääskeläinen LP., Hari, R., Sams, M. (2012). Emotions promote social interaction by synchronizing brain activity across individuals. [Online]. Retrieved from http://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/early/2012/05/22/1206095109.full.pdf

This reference is a study to test how the emotional state of others can be “shared” and if those shared emotions induce understanding. To test this, a group of participants brain activity was measured while watching movies that contained three different emotions: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Finding of the study concluded that, “by enhancing the synchrony of brain activity across individuals, emotions may promote social interaction and facilitate interpersonal understanding” (abstract). The authors discuss various theories of development and the importance of social interaction.

This study’s discussion information is useful in the knowledge of the importance of social interactions as well as insight into how bonds can be formed.

Parisian, K. (2015). Identity Formation: Art Therapy and an Adolescent’s Search for Self and Belonging. Art Therapy: Journal of The American Art Therapy Association, 32(3), 130-135. doi:10.1080/07421656.2015.1061257. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/

This reading is a brief discussion and report regarding a study of an adolescent who had difficulties identity formation and adjustment. The authors discuss the theory surrounding identity, in particular, Erik Erikson’s proposed theory of identity crisis and its effects on adolescents. The authors also discuss the effects of art therapy among young adults in relation to fostering a healthy identity and sense of self in adolescents.

This source will be used as a resource to explain Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development and the link between humans need to socialize and their need for belongness.

Shriner, B. & Shriner, M. (2014). Essentials of Lifespan Development: A Topical Approach [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Shriner and Shriner (2014) go into great detail in this course textbook detailing every aspect of human development and theories of from conception to death.

This textbook serves as a backbone to human development. Since the need to belong is part of human nature this textbook will provide much detail into different theories, stages of development, and various other psychological information needed for this paper.

Stangor, C., (2011). Social identity theory: our sense of self is influenced by the groups we belong to. Principles of Social Psychology. [Online]. Retrieved from http://www.opentextbooks.org.hk/ditatopic/16001

The author gives an in-depth discussion of social identity theory by detailing humans biological, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Stangor (2011) also details how an individual’s sense of self is highly influenced by the groups that one associates with as well as their environment.

This reading will be used to explain and reference humans biological need to belong. It will also provide information pertaining to social identity theory and how positive social interactions connect with the feeling of belonginess.

Stoddard, S. A., Pierce, J., & Schmidt, C. J. (2016). Grade-Level Differences in Future-Oriented Self-Concept During Early Adolescence. Journal of School Nursing, 32(6), 390-396. doi:10.1177/1059840516649236. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/

To examine the differences in adolescents future oriented self-concept throughout different grade levels, Stoddard, Pierce, & Schmidt (2016) perform a study to “determine grade-level differences in hoped for and feared possible selves in a sample of sixth- to ninth-grade students” (abstract). The purpose of this study is to give insight to both educators and nurses regarding the nurturing of adolescent’s self-concept since it is known to change drastically throughout adolescents and into early adulthood.

Scholarly information given in this study will be used to support the theory that an adolescent’s self-concept changes and must be nurtured to have meaningful social interactions in early adulthood. It also gives some information about the importance of nurturing.

References

McLeod, S. (2018). Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Developmental Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html

References Cont.

Shriner, B. & Shriner, M. (2014). Essentials of Lifespan Development: A Topical Approach [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

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