Recognizing the Diversity in How Students Define Belonging: Evidence of Differing Conceptualizations, Including as a Function of Students' Gender and Socioeconomic Background

Autor/inn/en	Fernández, Daniela P.; Ryan, Michelle K.; Begeny, Christopher T.
Titel	Recognizing the Diversity in How Students Define Belonging: Evidence of Differing Conceptualizations, Including as a Function of Students' Gender and Socioeconomic Background
Quelle	In: Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 26 (2023) 3, S.673-708 (36 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Fernández, Daniela P.) ORCID (Ryan, Michelle K.) ORCID (Begeny, Christopher T.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1381-2890
DOI	10.1007/s11218-023-09761-7
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; College Students; Student Attitudes; Group Membership; Interpersonal Relationship; Sex; Socioeconomic Background; Self Concept; Cultural Capital; Student Experience; Peer Relationship; Social Experience; United Kingdom + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Collegestudent; Schülerverhalten; Gruppenzugehörigkeit; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Geschlecht; Geschlechtsverkehr; Sozioökonomische Lage; Selbstkonzept; Studienerfahrung; Peer-Beziehungen; Soziale Erfahrung; Großbritannien
Abstract	Sense of belonging is a fundamental human motivation and, in higher education settings, has been associated with students' motivation and academic outcomes. However, less is known about the nuances of how students define belonging within a university context, and how their gendered and socio-economic identity-based experiences inform these definitions. Using a qualitative approach, we interviewed 36 UK university students to better understand (1) students' definitions of belonging to university, and (2) how these conceptualizations are shaped by their experiences in terms of their gender, their socioeconomic status, and the intersection of these two identities. Interviews showed that students defined belonging in terms of social belonging. These definitions were shaped by their (a) cultural capital about university, (b) socioeconomic or gender identity experiences and (c) perceived similarity with other students. Indeed, despite the fact that students' definitions of belonging were associated with how they have experienced belonging to university, identity-based experiences were mostly mentioned when they perceived they did not belong, which was framed as a "sense of anti-belonging". Otherwise, students defined belonging as (a) being authentic, considering--for example--gender identity-based experiences of acceptance in university, or (b) sharing similar experiences with others, considering the importance of perceiving similarity with other students to feel they belong and, in some cases, being necessary to learn about university culture to perceive similarity with others. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in terms of how belonging conceptualisations are bound up in identity and context, opening questions about the consequences of inclusion and diversity policies in higher education. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01