Belongingness in an emotional need to be accepted as part of a group, be that familial, social, professional, religious, or any other gathering of more than one person. belonging is different for each individual, but is influenced by ones environment, and upbringing. 

Contents

1. Phycological needs

   1.1 “Maslows’s Hierarcy of Needs”

   1.2 “The Need to Belong”

2. Mental health

   1.1 Anxiety

   1.2 Suicide

3. Educational groups

4. Professional groups

5. Community Groups 

   5.1 NAACP

   5.2 NIOT

Phycological needs

”Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” is a theory about human needs. Maslow theorized that people need to meet their basic needs in order to fulfill their sociological needs and self- actualization. Basic needs include food, water, sleep, and safety. Sociological refers to the need to belong, and ones own self esteem. [1]

In a published paper by Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary in 1995, they addressed the thought that all needs were derived from the need to belong. They also believed that a person must have enough social interactions to prevent loneliness and mental distress. [2]

Mental Health

Anxiety is caused by many different factors: Family history, Physical health, Substance abuse, and surrounding events like Family issues, and work stress. [3] While some of these factors cannot be changed like family history, many are caused by external factors. Substance abuse is often caused by ones environment. Those who grew up with heavy drinks may have picked up the habit as well. Peers and friends can pressure one into consuming, and the stress faced in a professional setting can cause one to look towards outside comfort they are not receiving in their home, work, or social groups. [4]

Struggling to cope can also lead people to have thoughts of suicide. The main stressors include other mental health issues, bullying, abuse, rejection, isolation, cultural pressure, and other trauma experiences. Men are at a higher risk of suicidal thoughts. This is theorized to be due to the cultural pressure surrounding men to suppress their emotions, and feel the need to figure it out for themselves. LGBT people are also at high risk due to the increased amount of discrimination against their identity, beliefs, and way of life.[5]

Educational groups

Most people at some point in their life are going to be part of a school, be that public school towards a GED, or college for an associates, bachelors, masters, doctorate, or certifications. Many of these institutions offer extracurricular activities to their students to allow them to peruse their interests and passions. In the beginning education they also use clubs as a measure of ability to balance life, school, and interests for their higher education opportunities. [6]

Pictured is a group of students after a school performance

Professional Groups

In the work force, some business build social clubs for their employees to cultivate strong employee engagement, and increase productivity by creating a sense of belonging at work. [7]

Employees have also created unions to build better resources for themselves and their peers in the workforce. Unions work to create safer work places, better benefits, higher wages, and give a voice to the individual worker. Unions are a democratic body that elects representatives to act as a liaison between the workers and the business leaders. [8]

Community Groups 

There are many national groups with branches in different areas. Several of these organizations have chapters in Bloomington normal. 

NAACP, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. [9] This organization meets regularly to provide support for the colored population of Bloomington normal in their professional advancement. 

NIOT, Not In Out Town. [10] This group works to ensure that all people in the community are treated fairly and without discrimination.

1. https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/15420847_The_Need_to_Belong_Desire_for_Interpersonal_Attachments_as_a_Fundamental_Human_Motivation

3. https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/what-causes-anxiety

4. https://vantagepointrecovery.com/how-environment-can-influence-drinking-behavior/

5. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/suicidal-feelings/causes-of-suicidal-feelings/

6. https://blog.collegevine.com/50-clubs-and-activities-9th-graders-can-join/

7. https://www.strategycollective.co.nz/workplace-social-clubs-are-the-bread-and-butter-of-company-culture/

8.   https://aflcio.org/what-unions-do

9. https://bnnaacp.org/

10. https://www.niot.org/group/bloomington-normal-not-our-town

11. https://rss.com/podcasts/t-aj-threeletters-twopeople/

Add tags