Research shows that the need to feel a sense of social belonging is just as important as the need to belong.

People have a strong desire to belong, which they often satisfy through interpersonal relationships such as friendships or romantic relationships, but there is an equally strong human motivation to have a place in the wider society that is equally important for well-being.

Interpersonal relationships can satisfy what psychologists identify as the “need to belong,” while broader needs for social contact can be satisfied through parasocial bonds, narratives, or immersion in crowds.

This is what University at Buffalo psychologists call “social grounding.”

Shira Gabriel, Ph.D., professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Buffalo, coined the term, which she explains in a recent article in the journal Current trends in psychological science.

Social embeddedness is a framework based on 20 years of research from Gabriel’s lab. It provides a new understanding of human behavior that can also inform and support other research in psychology.

The need to belong and feel embedded in society are social relationships, but they are relationships created through other means.

“There is a general belief that we need other people to be happy, but our need to fit into the larger society is almost invisible to us because it usually happens outside our conscious awareness,” says Gabriel, an expert in social psychology.

From an evolutionary perspective, humans had to be socially embedded to survive. We evolved to live socially, which allowed for the sharing of resources and increased levels of protection from predators.

What allowed us to survive in the past can help us thrive in the present: according to Gabriel, we feel good when we are engaged in society.

“We gain so much from interacting with people in society who are not close friends or romantic partners,” Gabriel says. “Being in a crowd at a football match or a concert makes us feel good because it reminds us that we are part of a society of people.”

People can feel socially engaged through parasocial relationships, which may include viewer interaction with celebrities, sports figures, or politicians.

“Part of feeling embedded in society is feeling connected to the leaders of that society,” says Gabriel. “People are interested in the royal family, even if they don’t live in the UK.

“It makes no sense from the point of view of the need to belong, but it fits perfectly into the construct of social embeddedness.”

Narratives also provide a sense of social embeddedness.

“In our research, we found that engaging in narratives, like binge-watching a TV series, can make you feel like you’re part of the show’s social network,” Gabriel says. “You feel connected to the characters, which satisfies the need to feel grounded.

“Recognizing that we engage in behaviors that may seem illogical or selfish allows us to be kinder to ourselves,” Gabriel says. “That’s not hedonism or laziness. That’s being human.”

Gabriel believes that the need to belong is as important as the sense of belonging.

“People are happiest when their needs for belonging and social inclusion are met.”