Impact of Sense of Belonging on Forgiveness and Gratitude: Mediating and Moderating Mechanism (Joining virtually)

A sense of belonging is a critical part of healthy human development. In recent times, educational researchers have investigated how a sense of belonging at school affects students in multifaceted ways. Yet known studies have not explored this construct and its outcomes in Muslim societies. The impact of a sense of belonging on forgiveness and gratitude remains an area that requires more attention in Muslim societies. Drawing on the need to belong theory, our study tested the mediating role of collectivism between a sense of belonging and forgiveness & gratitude. We also examined the moderating role of religiosity/ spirituality between a sense of belonging and collectivism. This research paper presents findings from a quantitative study of 2019-2020 “Mapping the Terrain” conducted by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). The data on values and competencies were collected in fifteen communities of interest, namely Muslim-majority societies with a focus on students in secondary schools and higher education (n= 13492). Data is analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS. Young people under 18 (65%) are the largest target group, followed by 18-24 year old (32%) in 15 countries. The adult sample is highly educated, with the majority of students (18%) having a bachelor's degree. The largest sample (n=2,216) was collected from India, while the smallest sample was from the United States (n=252). The results reveal that demographic characteristics such as age and gender positively impact forgiveness, while negatively impacting gratitude, collectivism, and religiosity. There is a negative relationship between age and a sense of belonging. There is no significant difference in forgiveness based on grade. The results also indicate that sense of belonging is positively associated with forgiveness & gratitude, and that collectivism mediates all of these relationships. Religiosity doesn’t moderate the relationship between a sense of belonging and collectivism. Based on the results of our analysis, we have recommended policies to government and non-government institutions for improving their recruitment, training and development processes using values profile.

Dr. Khurram Shahzad is Professor and Dean at Faculty of Management Sciences, Riphah Int’l University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr. Shahzad holds a Post-Doctoral and PhD degree in Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior. He also served as the Assistant Dean of Research at Riphah Int’l University. He has published his research in many renowned peer-reviewed journals, including Leadership & Organization Development Journal and Ethics & Behavior, among others. In addition, he has presented his research in numerous international conferences in more than 20 countries. His primary research interests include leadership, human resource practices, personality, and Islamic work ethics.