Luna Kim

How do social groups shape identity, and in what ways can belonging function as both a protective and vulnerable force among gifted and talented high school students?

Started June 11, 2026

Abstract or project description

My project explores what I call the "belonging paradox": the idea that social connection can function as both a protective and a vulnerable force in adolescents' lives. One's sense of belonging can simultaneously serve as a source of support, identity, and resilience while also creating vulnerability through social pressures, conformity, and identtiy conflict. This study seeks to understand how students experience belonging within their school communities and how these experiences influence their identities, relationships, and decision-making. I plan to use a mixed-methods approach that would include ethnographic observation of school social events such as club fairs, semi-structured interviews, reflective diary or think-aloud studies, surveys, and case studies to properly investigate the scope of identity or belonging that impacts one's decision-making and how it positively or negatively affects them. The project aims to capture both broad patterns of belonging and the nuanced, lived experiences behind them. Ultimately, the study hopes to contribute a more holistic understanding of how belonging can act as both a protective resource and a source of vulnerability during adolescence, particularly within gifted educational environments.