Social psychologists define three types of communities: geographic, communities of interest, and virtual communities. Four factors determine a sense of community in a group: membership through boundaries, emotional safety, and identification; influence through empathy and having a voice; integration and fulfillment of needs; and shared emotional connections through collective experiences. Creating a sense of community satisfies members' emotional and social needs as the group works towards this goal.
A Sense of Community: How People Create a Sense of Group Ownership
1. A Sense of Community:
How People Create a Sense
of Group Ownership
Social psychologists define the concept of
community in three different categories. There is
the geographic community where people interact
with each other by virtue of location and proximity.
There is also the community they call communities
of interest where people choose to socialize
because of shared interests and concerns. Thanks to
the advancement of technology, the rise of virtual
communities came about. The relational dynamics
in this type of community is based on
communication media, rather than personal
interaction.
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2. Social psychologists say that four important factors determine the sense of community in a
group:
1. Membership
Psychologists define membership as the feeling of belongingness. This concept involves
four characteristics: boundaries, emotional safety, sense of identification, and personal
investment.
Boundaries help community members differentiate themselves from those outside their
group. Because of these established boundaries, the sense of trust or emotional safety is
secured within the community. Other than boundaries and emotional safety, the sense of
identification and personal investment also help build the sense of community. There is a
greater sense of community when members feel that they fit in and contribute to the
group.
But what exactly are the characteristics of a community? A more important question to ask is: what
makes people inside communities participate in the group they belong to? How does a community create
a sense of community?
3. 2. Influence
Experts say that members must have a feeling of influence over the
community and the community over the members. It is important that
people recognise and accept the needs, values and opinions of others. There
must be empathy between members—being secured in the fact that they
have a say in matters relevant to community affairs and they will be heard
once they voice it out.
3. Integration and fulfilment of needs
This concept means that by getting involved in a community, a member gets
what they aim to get. It operates on the idea that the community must cater to
needs of members so that their involvement and contributions to the group will
be rewarded.
4. 4. Shared Emotional Connection
Psychologists consider this the ultimate defining characteristic of the community.
The collective experiences of individuals within the community create the long lasting
emotional connection. Even though they move to another country or location,
members will always remember the stories about their homeland. Tough situations
that members have prevailed over create a strong, emotional bond.
Creating a sense of community is a collective endeavour that is exerted by all members in
the group. As they strive to build this value, the emotional and social needs of members are
satisfied.
RESOURCES:
http://www.manorlakes.com.au/
http://groups.psychology.org.au/assets/files/community-updated-sept061.pdf
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/603/3/603.pdf
