The Belonging Barometer: The State of Belonging in America

3Executive Summary The Belonging Barometer THE STATE OF BELONGING IN AMERICA iAcknowledgments Acknowledgments This report is the product of a partnership between Over Zero and the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council. Over Zero Over Zero creates long-term societal resilience to political and identity-based violence and other forms of group-targeted harm. It connects cross-sector research to practice and equips diverse leaders with the tools and connections that they need to take action in their communities. Center for Inclusion and Belonging, American Immigration Council The Center for Inclusion and Belonging houses the signature culture and narrative change programs of the American Immigration Council. The Center also convenes institutions and stakeholders nationwide who share the common goal of building a more cohesive America where all people are welcomed and included. Authors Nichole Argo, PhD, is the Director of Research and Field Advancement at Over Zero, where she oversees the design and evaluation of interventions meant to reduce identity-based division. She also leads research on belonging, intergroup dynamics, sacred values, and motivations for political violence. Nichole lives outside Boston with her two children, and is deeply engaged in belonging interventions at the local level. She holds degrees in International Policy Studies and Social Psychology from Stanford University and the New School for Social Research, respectively. Hammad Sheikh, PhD, is a quantitative behavioral scientist who conducts research on human flourishing and conflict. He is a visiting scholar at the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict (Oxford), a research fellow at ARTIS International, and an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Project Team Nichole Argo led this project in design, implementation, analysis, and writing. Hammad Sheikh provided analysis and visualizations. Quantitative analysis and help with visualizations was provided by Juliana Black of the New School for Social Research. Qualitative data was managed by Lauren Mullady and Chisomo Billy, and was coded and analyzed by an excellent team of research consultants: Vivian Santos-Smith, Amelia Travezio, Paige Chavis, Nathan Nakapalli, Mishwa Bhavsar, Mianna Ada, Aaliyah Gant, Bronte Taylor, Karina Gabitova, Sienna Campbell, Sammantha Garcia, Margaret Comentale, and Madison Reid. Critical support was provided by current and previous staff at Over Zero, including early research and administrative support from Ekemini Ekpo, and editorial and conceptual feedback from Laura Livingston, Samantha Owens, ii Tanmai Vemulapalli, Satia Marotta, Stephen Capobianco, and Rachel Brown. Special thanks to the Center for Inclusion and Belonging at the American Immigration Council for their partnership, investment, and strategic support across the lifecycle of the project. We’d also like to extend our appreciation to Wendy Feliz, Founding Director of the Center for Inclusion and Belonging, for being an instrumental thought-partner, providing field-level insights and supporting stakeholder engagement. Additionally, we’d like to share our gratitude to the Council’s editorial, product development, and communication teams – notably, Andrea Ramos, Angela Kelly, Brianna Dimas, Dan Wallace, Katherine Steinberg, Kimberly Serrano, Lucy Yen, Melissa Cruz, Michael Lopetrone, and Mohammed Naeem. Special thanks to Anastasia Miller of Miller and Marquis Communications for early designs, data visualizations, and presentation materials. Additional copywriting and editorial support was provided by Denver Nicks and Kelly Sharp, as well as the insightful and talented team at Delivery Associates. Funders This report would not have been possible without generous support from the Walmart Foundation, the Omidyar Network, and an anonymous donor. The findings, conclusions, and recommendations presented in this report are those of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of these funders. Reviewers & Thought Partners We are tremendously grateful for the insights, introductions, ideas, and critical feedback provided by: Feedback on the Survey Instrument [* indicates report feedback as well] Greg Walton, Stanford University (Social Psychology, belonging) * Larry Diamond, Stanford University (Political Science, democracy) Linda R. Tropp, UMass Amherst (Social Psychology, Intergroup Relations) * Mehr Latif, University of Pittsburgh (Political Science, extremism) Noelle Malvar, Meta (previously at More in Common) Pramita Kuruvilla, University of California, San Francisco (Medicine) Stephen Menendian, University of California Berkeley (Othering and Belonging Institute) Valentin Bolotynyy, Stanford University (Economics, democracy) * Acknowledgments iiiAcknowledgments Feedback on the Report Beth Pinals, Own Your Peace (Clinical Psychology) Cal Halvorsen, Boston College (Social Work) Cierra Abellera, UMass Amherst (Social Psychology, Intergroup Relations) Eunice Lin Nichols, CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org) Justin Gest, Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University Mary Ellen Giess, Interfaith Youth Core Milena Batanova, Making Caring Common Tim Dixon, More in Common Whitney Coe, Center for Rural Strategies To inquire further about this report or upcoming Belonging publications, contact Over Zero at belonging@projectoverzero.org. © 2023 Over Zero. All rights reserved. ivTable of Contents Acknowledgments................................................................................................................................i Executive Summary ..............................................................................................................................v Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 The Roots of Belonging ...................................................................................................................................2 Belonging & Othering ......................................................................................................................................3 Why Create a Belonging Barometer? ..............................................................................................................4 Introducing the Belonging Barometer .............................................................................................................4 Creating a Measure for Multifaceted Belonging ..............................................................................................6 The Barometer in Context: Life Settings ............................................................................................................7 Belonging as a Scale ...........................................................................................................................................8 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................9 A Note to the Reader .......................................................................................................................................11 The Power of Belonging in the US Today ......................................................................12 Health & Wellbeing ..........................................................................................................................................13 In the Workplace .............................................................................................................................................16 Civic & Social Life ............................................................................................................................................17 National Politics ...............................................................................................................................................21 Summary .........................................................................................................................................................22 The State of Belonging in the US Today .......................................................................23 Non-belonging is Pervasive .............................................................................................................................24 Facets of Belonging are Prioritized Differently Across Life Settings ...............................................................25 Belonging Among Family & Friends .................................................................................................................26 Belonging in the Workplace ............................................................................................................................30 Belonging in Our Local Communities ..............................................................................................................34 Belonging in the Nation ...................................................................................................................................41 Emerging Themes .......................................................................................................45 The Interdependence of Diversity & Belonging ...............................................................................................46 Belonging is Interconnected Across Life Settings ...........................................................................................48 Conclusion .................................................................................................................49 Summary .........................................................................................................................................................50 To Build Belonging ...........................................................................................................................................51 Using the Belonging Barometer ..........................................................................................................................53 Belonging Resources.............................................................................................................................55 Endnotes ..............................................................................................................................................59 Appendix .............................................................................................................................................82 Table of Contents iv vExecutive Summary Executive Summary Belonging is a fundamental human need, and one that is linked to many of the most complex challenges of our time. Without a sense of belonging, individuals and communities suffer; with it, they thrive. Yet, because belonging is notoriously difficult to measure, it is often ignored in efforts to address the deep fractures in our societies. One purpose of this report is to call attention to

Belonging is Interconnected Across Life Settings ...........................................................................................48 Conclusion .................................................................................................................49 Summary .........................................................................................................................................................50 To Build Belonging ...........................................................................................................................................51 Using the Belonging Barometer ..........................................................................................................................53 Belonging Resources.............................................................................................................................55 Endnotes ..............................................................................................................................................59 Appendix .............................................................................................................................................82 Table of Contents iv vExecutive Summary Executive Summary Belonging is a fundamental human need, and one that is linked to many of the most complex challenges of our time. Without a sense of belonging, individuals and communities suffer; with it, they thrive. Yet, because belonging is notoriously difficult to measure, it is often ignored in efforts to address the deep fractures in our societies. One purpose of this report is to call attention to belonging as a factor that matters deeply for leaders and stakeholders across diverse sectors. We make the case for including belonging in the design and implementation of programs and policies across all areas of life in the United States. A second purpose is to propose a nuanced new tool for measuring belonging—the Belonging Barometer—that is robust, accessible, and readily deployable in the service of efforts to advance the common good. As with any new tool, it is our hope that the Belonging Barometer can and should be refined and improved upon over time. We offer it up to changemakers across the world and welcome feedback and collaboration. In this report, we review the concept of belonging and introduce a new measure, the Belonging Barometer. We then describe initial findings based on a nationally representative survey regarding the relationship between the Belonging Barometer and health, democracy, and intergroup dynamics in the US. Next, we report on the state of belonging across five life settings: family, friends, workplace, local community, and the nation. Lastly, we briefly discuss emerging themes and considerations for designing belonging interventions. Key Findings From This Report • Belonging is measurably multifaceted. Belonging is about the quality of fit between oneself and a setting. When one belongs, they feel emotionally connected, welcomed, included, and satisfied in their relationships. They know that they are valued for who they are as well as for their contributions, can bring their whole and authentic self to the table, and are comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions regardless as to whether they diverge from dominant perspectives. In addition, they understand how things work within a given setting, feel treated equally, and perceive that they are able to influence decisions. • Belonging is vital for American society. Belonging Barometer scores were associated with critical life outcomes in health (e.g., better general and mental health; increased life satisfaction; decreased pain, stress, and loneliness), workplace (e.g., increased retention and greater willingness to recommend one’s job), social cohesion (e.g., higher satisfaction with local community; increased trust in one’s neighbors, other local residents, and local government; more civic engagement; decreased feelings of marginalization; decreased fear of demographic change; more openness to diversity; and greater desire to meet people who are different than oneself), and democracy viExecutive Summary (e.g., greater satisfaction with life and democracy in the US; increased support for our democratic system of government). • A majority of Americans report non-belonging, a cumulative term that includes people who are unsure or ambiguous about whether they belong and those experiencing exclusion. Sixty-four percent of Americans reported non-belonging in the workplace, 68% in the nation, and 74% in their local community. Further, nearly 20% of Americans failed to report an active sense of belonging in any of the life settings we measured, and a small subset (6%) report exclusion across all life settings. These deficiencies in belonging may hold significant costs to individuals, institutions, and our society as a whole. • Socioeconomic status and other systemic factors are strongly associated with belonging. Americans were more likely to report belonging if they also saw themselves as better off or much better off economically than the average American. Other associated factors included being older; identifying as a woman or a man vs. another gender; or identifying as heterosexual/straight or homosexual/gay rather than bi/ pansexual, asexual, or queer. In some life settings belonging also correlated with race, religion, and immigration status, however these differences often become statistically insignificant once we controlled for socioeconomic status. While we did not test associations between belonging and other forms of systemic marginalization, we note that socioeconomic status itself is influenced by them—this is the case, for example, with redlining, which prevents wealth accumulation, or being subject to racism or xenophobia, which would serve to block opportunities in ones life. For these reasons, belonging interventions—in families, workplaces, local communities, and at the national level— must be designed with an eye towards the life experiences that influence an individual systemically. • Large percentage of Americans feel they are treated as “less than others” in their daily lives, and this experience is associated with non-belonging across all life settings—not only in local community but also nationally, in the workplace, and even among freinds and family. The Americans who report being treated as “less than” tend to be younger, first-generation or non-citizen immigrants, identify as non-Hispanic white, or identify as a gender minority. The range of demographic categories who reported being treated as “less than others” in their local communities suggests a broad social breakdown in civic norms and behavior, or at least the experience of such among a wide set of groups. It also presents an opportunity for local communities to inquire about whether their residents experience indignity in daily interactions, and to seek to address any issues • Belonging and diversity are interdependent, an insight that will grow increasingly important as the US becomes increasingly diverse. Americans with one or more diverse friends reported higher levels of overall friendship belonging. Moreover, Americans living in diverse neighborhoods reported less marginalization and more openness to demographic change if they experienced local belonging. Our research suggests that we all win when we strive to inculcate belonging in diverse workplaces or civic spaces, viiExecutive Summary and conversely, we all lose when we don’t combine diversity with belonging. However, our survey also revealed that large percentages of Americans lack relationships with people of a

and diversity are interdependent, an insight that will grow increasingly important as the US becomes increasingly diverse. Americans with one or more diverse friends reported higher levels of overall friendship belonging. Moreover, Americans living in diverse neighborhoods reported less marginalization and more openness to demographic change if they experienced local belonging. Our research suggests that we all win when we strive to inculcate belonging in diverse workplaces or civic spaces, viiExecutive Summary and conversely, we all lose when we don’t combine diversity with belonging. However, our survey also revealed that large percentages of Americans lack relationships with people of a different race/ethnicity, partisan affiliation, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or country of origin. Taken together, these facts underscore the need to invest in social contact across differences. • Belonging is attainable. In today’s polarized, socially segregated, and increasingly diverse America, investments in belonging are more urgent than ever. Fortunately, there is burgeoning research on how to design effective belonging interventions, and there are already organizations and communities piloting such work. As work in this space continues, understanding what is and what is not working, and why, will be critical for advancing the field. While this first report serves as a “snapshot” of belonging in the US today, the Barometer can be adapted to measure levels of belonging over time (e.g., for workers, students, residents, citizens), or to track pre- and post-intervention changes. With such a robust measure, it will be possible to tailor interventions to improve belonging, and to identify the interventions that work best within a particular context. To further explore any aspect of this report, or to learn how to use the Belonging Barometer in your town, team, office, etc., please contact Over Zero at belonging@projectoverzero.org. 1Executive Summary Introduction 2Introduction Introduction The need to belong is among our most primal drives, 1 shaping our personal, societal, and political experiences in the 21st-century. Indeed, scholars have linked some of the most complex challenges of our time—loneliness, 2 caring for an aging population, 3 various forms of social and political division, 4 and school violence 5 —to belonging. Yet belonging is notoriously difficult to measure. As a result, it is often ignored in efforts to address the deep fractures in our societies, or is given only passing consideration—and rarely with a substantive evidence base. One purpose of this report is to call attention to belonging as a factor that matters for key stakeholders, leaders, and philanthropists in the US today who care about health, democracy, and intergroup relations. Another is to propose a way of measuring belonging that is robust, accessible, and readily deployable in the service of efforts to advance the common good. Like all measures, the Belonging Barometer can be improved upon as it gains wider deployment. To begin that process, we offer it up to changemakers across the world and invite your feedback. This report reviews the concept of belonging and introduces a new measure, the Belonging Barometer. Then, based on findings from a nationally representative survey (n=4905), it reveals the ways in which the Belonging Barometer is associated with US health, democracy, and intergroup dynamics, respectively. Next, it reviews the state of belonging in America across five life settings— family, friends, workplace, and local and national communities. It further explores two themes emerging from these data: the interdependence of diversity and belonging and the fact that belonging in one life setting correlates with belonging in other life settings. We close with a short introduction to belonging interventions. The Roots of Belonging In social psychology’s “theory of belongingness,” belonging is an innate motivational drive— underpinned by our ancestral origins—to form and maintain positive emotional bonds with others. 6 Our need for belonging is so great that it permeates our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, 7 and is integrally connected to how we perceive and pursue our life goals. 8 In fact, our brains are wired for belonging, and we are psychologically primed to form positive emotional bonds before we are even born. In the womb, our hearts beat in tandem with those of our mothers 9 and once when we’re born, our hormones and brain activity mirror our caregivers’ in a process called “biobehavioral synchrony.” 10 This phenomenon lays the biological foundation from which empathy emerges later in life, and helps to shape our capacity to connect with others in the future. These are among the reasons why some scholars have deemed belonging to be as important as our need for love, 12 and as necessary to our survival as food or water. 11 As we will discuss later in this report, individuals who experience belonging are happier, healthier, and more resilient. 13 They enjoy improved cognition, creativity, and performance, as well as bolstered immune systems, which protect them from stress and disease. 14 Within wider society, 3Introduction belonging is associated with increased civic engagement and trust. 15 And, at a time when we seek to strengthen our pluralistic practices in the US, belonging may help to facilitate social cohesion by improving individuals’ ability to process information that may be discordant with their worldview. 16 It is no surprise, then, that belonging lays the foundation for thriving individuals and strong communities. Susie Wise, Stanford University professor and author of Design for Belonging, writes: ...belonging is the key that unlocks the best in everyone. Kids who feel they belong learn better in school. Elders with a sense of belonging stay healthy and aware. Immigrants who belong thrive in their new communities. Having a sense of belonging leads to flourishing in every environment and group, big and small, from your home to the culture at large. 17 Belonging & Othering Research on belonging nearly always associates belonging with positive outcomes and non- belonging with negative ones. But this binary characterization is based on a snapshot of belonging relationships at a single moment. Since belonging is a need, those experiencing non-belonging will seek to fill it in some way. How one chooses to satisfy their need to belong could be harmful