Harmony in hearts: Unraveling the bonds between emotional intelligence and peer belongingness in undergraduate students

Abstract

People’s interactions with their environment in life are greatly influenced by their emotions. The success of the social environment is influenced by each individual’s capacity to understand their own feelings, as well as those of others, and to control their behavior in accordance. This study aims to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and peer belongingness among undergraduate students. Grounded in Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Theory, the study employs a quantitative research design with a correlation-al methodology. A sample of 130 undergraduate students (69 female, 61 male) was selected using random sampling, ensuring representation across gender, locality, and academic streams. Data were collected using the Assessing Emotions Scale (Schutte et al., 2009) and the Peer Belongingness Scale (Sameer & Neetha, 2021). The findings of this study elucidate that there is a significant positive correlation between emotional intelligence and peer belongingness in the total sample of undergraduate students. The female students showed a stronger positive correlation than the male undergraduate students. Locality-wise analysis revealed that rural students had a stronger relationship between emotional intelligence and peer belongingness than urban students. It shows that students from rural localities are better at regulating their emotions and are more engaged in developing their interpersonal relationships. Lastly, streamwise analysis revealed that non-science students had a stronger relationship between emotional intelligence and peer be-longingness than science students. The study provides educational implications, advocating for interventions that enhance Emotional Intelligence to improve students’ sense of belonging in academic institutions.