Social cure in the time of COVID-19: Social identity and belongingness predict greater well-being and academic motivation in university students

Abstract

Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic increased negative affect and feelings of loneliness among university students. Objective: Given that identifying as a member of a social group, like a university student, serves as a protective factor against diminished well-being, we examined whether students’ social identity might offer a “social cure” during COVID-related remote learning. Participants: 356 students from a large, public university that was fully remote in 2021. Results: Students with a stronger social identity as a member of their university reported lower loneliness and greater positive affect balance during remote learning. Social identification was also associated with greater academic motivation, whereas two well-established predictors of positive student outcomes – perceived social support and academic performance – were not. Nonetheless, academic performance, but not social identification, predicted lower general stress and COVID-related worry. Conclusions: social identity may be a potential social cure for university students who are learning remotely.