Can a sense of belonging increase life satisfaction? Why do we sometimes feel lonely? How can we sustain lasting human connections? The Psychology of Belonging explores why feeling like we belong is so important throughout our lives, from childhood to old age, irrespective of culture, race or geography. With its virtues and shortcomings, belonging to groups such as families, social groups, schools, workplaces and communities is fundamental to our identity and wellbeing, even in a time when technology has changed the way we connect with each other. In a world where loneliness and social isolation is on the rise, The Psychology of Belonging shows how meaningful connections can build a sense of belonging for all of us.

Can a sense of belonging increase life satisfaction? Why do we sometimes feel lonely? How can we sustain lasting human connections? The Psychology of Belongingexplores why feeling like we belong is so important throughout our lives, from childhood to old age, irrespective of culture, race, or geography. With its virtues and shortcomings, belonging to groups such as families, social groups, schools, workplaces, and communities, is fundamental to our identity and wellbeing, even in a time where technology has changed the way we connect with each other. In a world where loneliness and social isolation is on the rise, The Psychology of Belongingshows how meaningful connections can build a sense of belonging for all of us.

Gold Nautilus Award Winner: “A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the mess we are in today and what we need to do.” —George Halvorson, former CEO, Kaiser Permanente We are living in a time of mounting political segregation that threatens to tear us apart as a unified society. As we become increasingly tribal, the narratives of life that we get exposed to on a daily basis have become echo chambers in which we hear our beliefs reinforced and others’ beliefs demonized. At the core of tribalism exists a paradox: As humans, we are hardwired with the need to belong, which ends up making us deeply connected with some yet deeply divided from others. When these tribes are formed out of fear of the “other,” on topics such as race, immigration status, religion, or partisan politics, we resort to an “us versus them” attitude. Especially in the digital age, when we are all interconnected in one way or another, these tensions seep into our daily lives and we become secluded with our self-identified tribes. In this book, global diversity and inclusion expert Howard J. Ross, with JonRobert Tartaglione, explores how our human need to belong is the driving force behind the increasing division of our world. Drawing upon decades of leadership experience, Ross probes the depth of tribalism, examines the role of social media in exacerbating it, and offers tactics for how to combat it. Filled with tested practices for opening safe and honest dialogue in the workplace and challenges to confront our own tendencies to bond automatically with those who are like us—or seem to be—Our Search for Belonging is a powerful statement of hope in a disquieting time.

Finalist for The Next Big Idea Bookclub - Book of the Year Selection Behavioral Scientist and Greater Good Society "This is perhaps the richest book on belonging you'll ever read.... The inspiration one draws from every page of this book is an enhanced sense of what is possible. It revives the very thing we need most in these times: hope." --Claude M. Steele, author of Whistling Vivaldi

An introduction to the psychology of learning that summarizes and integrates findings from both functional psychology and cognitive psychology.learning. Learning unites all living creatures, from simple microbes to complex human beings. But what is learning? And how does it work? For over a century, psychologists have considered such questions. Behavior analysts examined the ways in which the environment shapes behavior, whereas cognitive scientists have sought to understand the mental processes that enable us to learn. This book offers an introduction to the psychology of learning that draws on the key findings and major insights from both functional (behavior analysis) and cognitive approaches. After an introductory overview, the book reviews research showing how seemingly simple regularities in the environment lead to powerful changes in behavior, from habituation and classical conditioning to operant conditioning effects. It introduces the concept of complex learning and considers the idea that for verbal human beings even seemingly simple types of learning might qualify as instances of complex learning. Finally, it offers many examples of how psychological research on learning is being used to promote human well-being and alleviate such societal problems as climate change. Throughout the book, boxed text extends the discussion of selected topics and “think it through” questions help readers gain deeper understanding of what they have read. The book can be used as an introductory textbook on the psychology of learning for both undergraduate and postgraduate students or as a reference for researchers who study behavior and thinking.

This work offers a profound philosophical and psychological exploration of the multi-dimensional significance of home and the interwoven themes of homelessness and homesickness and contemporary global culture.

Signs of Identity presents an interdisciplinary introduction to collective identity, using insights from social psychology, anthropology, sociology and the humanities. It takes the basic concept of semiotics – the sign – as its central notion, and specifies in detail in what ways identity can be seen as a sign, how it functions as a sign, and how signs of identity are related to those who have that identity. Recognizing that the sense of belonging is both the source of solidarity and discrimination, the book argues for the importance of emotional attachment to collective identity. The argument is supported by a large number of real-life examples of how collective emotions affect group formation, collective action and inter-group relations. By addressing the current issues of authenticity and the Self, multiculturalism, intersectionality and social justice, the book helps to stimulate discussion of the contested topics of identity in contemporary society.