Social Norm Espousal and Sense of Belongingness Among the Mizo: The Role of Social Participation in a Collectivistic Society

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between social norm espousal and sense of belongingness among the Mizo people of Mizoram, India, and explored whether active versus inactive participation in community organizations produces differential outcomes on these variables. A sample of 216 Mizo participants — 117 active and 99 inactive social participants — was recruited through random sampling from Aizawl city. Social norm espousal was assessed using the Social-Norm Espousal Scale (SNES; Bizer et al., 2014), and sense of belongingness was measured using the Sense of Community Index-2 (SCI-2; Chavis et al., 2008). Independent-samples t-tests, Pearson correlation, and simple regression analyses were employed. Results revealed that active social participants scored significantly higher than inactive participants on both social norm espousal and sense of belongingness. Significant correlation was observed between social norm espousal and sense of belongingness. Simple regression analysis further confirmed that social norm espousal was a significant predictor of sense of belongingness. These findings highlight the role of community institutions in shaping normative identity and felt belonging among the Mizo.