Belonging from Day One: How New Groups Grow Together

How Does Belonging Develop?

Belonging in newly formed groups does not arise spontaneously but through identifiable mechanisms documented by the Creating a Culture of Care study (2024) in a primary-school context. Three processes work together: being seen, participation experience, and norm formation.

Being seen. People feel they belong when others perceive them specifically — not as an interchangeable group member but as an individual with a name, a story, and feelings. Circle routines enforce this structurally: every person is addressed directly and given speaking time. A first-grader wrote: “I like circle time because we get to hear each other’s stories.” Hearing one another’s stories simultaneously generates appreciation of one’s own.

Mechanism 1: Being Seen

Participation experience. Belonging comes from doing, not merely from being present. Those who actively contribute — with words, gestures, actions — internalise themselves as part of the group. Even small contributions matter: students who initially held back spoke up later. Researchers described this progression as a “growing sense of agency.” Shy individuals open up slowly, but they do open up.

Norm formation. A group creates its own rules — how to speak to whom, who may say what, how to respond to mistakes. These norms must be made explicit early; otherwise, informal hierarchies emerge that hinder belonging. Shared norms become a kind of invisible membership card: if you live by them, you belong.

Mechanism 2: Participating

Additional accelerators include shared symbols, rituals, and role-modelling by leaders. Teachers who open up (“I was angry yesterday too, because…”) signal: the whole person belongs here, not just the role.

The time horizon matters: belonging does not emerge in a single session. The study observed its growth over several months.

Mechanism 3: Forming Norms

Theoretically, the concept draws on Maslow (the need for belonging) and Baumeister & Leary (1995 — the “belongingness hypothesis”). Seligman’s PERMA model names “Relationships” as one of five well-being elements. The CDC (2023) cites documented positive effects of school belonging: better academic performance, attendance, and mental health.

Not every group can generate belonging for every person. Individuals with a trauma history may need more time or different conditions. Highly diverse groups face greater challenges than homogeneous ones (which does not mean diversity is harmful — it requires more active integration work). Forced “belonging management” can also backfire: people compelled to belong often feel less, not more. Voluntariness remains essential.

Time Frame: Months, Not Minutes

The current state of research on this aspect is summarised below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does belonging develop in a new group?

The time horizon matters: belonging does not emerge in a single session. The study observed its growth over several months.

How long does it take to feel you belong?

Belonging in newly formed groups does not arise spontaneously but through identifiable mechanisms documented by the Creating a Culture of Care study (2024) in a primary-school context. Three processes work together: being seen, participation experience, and norm formation.

What can you actively do?

Not every group can generate belonging for every person. Individuals with a trauma history may need more time or different conditions.

Can belonging be forced?

Participation experience. Belonging comes from doing, not just from being present. Those who actively contribute — with words, gestures, actions — internalise themselves as part of the group. Even small contributions matter: students who initially held back spoke up later.