What is “belonging?”
“…the feeling, belief, and expectation that one fits in the group and therefore has a place there…”
McMillan & Chavis, 1986, p. 10
“…the extent to which students feel personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in the school social environment”
Goodenow, 1993, p. 80
Research has demonstrated both a sense of belonging, and its absence, can impact:
●Cognitive functioning: Just the threat of exclusion reduces capacity for intelligent thought (Baumeister et al., 2002)
●Academic achievement
●Student retention & persistence
●Class participation
●Creation of student communities that can positively affect academic behaviors