Comparison and Analysis of the Sense of Social Belonging of Group and Individual Casual Laborers in China

Abstract

Currently, a lower sense of social belonging has become a common problem faced by China's casual labor groups, which has impacted their mental health and social integration. This study aims to explore whether the collective strength of casual work is one of the factors affecting the sense of social belonging, analyze the possible reasons behind it, and propose feasible optimization suggestions based on the findings. This study conducts semi-structured interviews with two groups of casual workers separately: those engaged in collective labor and those working individually. By comparing the sense of social belonging exhibited by the two groups and analyze the causes, it was found that group casual laborers possessed a higher sense of social belonging compared to individual casual laborers, and that enhancing the collectivity of casual labors is one way to enhance the sense of social belonging of the casual laborers group. The study offers evidence as well as suggestions for enhancing the well-being of the casual laborers.