Group memberships boost self-esteem more than friends alone

Belonging to multiple groups that are important to you boosts self-esteem much more than having friends alone, new research has found. The researchers compared group memberships to the number of friends people had, and found that having a large network of friends did not predict self-esteem, but belonging to multiple groups did. The authors argue that groups provide benefits that interpersonal ties alone do not; namely, meaning, connection, support and a sense of control over our lives.