University Archives

  Group inclusivity refers to an environmental characteristic of groups which reflects the degree to which they are welcoming, safe, and open for various people to freely engage. Understanding inclusivity requires examining how individuals perceive and interpret the social cues that define group norms. While organizations and institutions often attempt to establish inclusive environments, individuals may interpret these signals differently based on their own experiences, cultural backgrounds, and psychological dispositions. Following a review of the literature, a model is proposed and ideas for future research outlined. A key element for future research is to investigate how emerging adults evaluate inclusive and exclusionary cues within social environments and how these perceptions influence their interpretation of group norms and social belonging. Expectations surrounding inclusivity are shaped by both environmental norms and individual factors as loci of influence. These factors shape how individuals interpret communication between members of a given group. Perceived inclusivity impacts how we establish ourselves within a social hierarchy and impress these norms onto others who divert from what is acceptable based on the group norms. In this review, we look at the dimensionality of inclusivity, placing it in the context of exclusivity and intentionality. Future research questions should investigate how emerging adults navigate inclusivity in group spaces – specifically, inclusivity spaces where the unspoken and spoken rules define the acceptability of language, behavior, and physicality. Three questions are of key importance. First, does a given environment contain identifiable inclusive norms? Second, does higher salience of inclusivity reduce the likelihood of existing, or perceived micro aggressions? Third, how do socio-cultural factors impact perception of norms and expectations within different environments? To answer these questions, participants can evaluate defined scenarios and provide their own influences and perceptions to what extent that they would feel a need to navigate these spaces. In addressing these questions, future research aims to clarify how inclusivity functions by examining how supportive or exclusionary features of a space influence a person’s perception of norms, social standing, and if inclusivity affects an individual’s sense of belonging within the existing structure of the group.