Why We Gather: The Power of Communal Relationships

By Brooklyn Spjut, Intern, and Taryn Wahlquist, Extension Assistant Professor

Remember the last time you donned your most beloved team’s jersey alongside other avid fans at a sporting event or game-day party? Or turned strangers into instant friends by singing, dancing, and cheering along with your favorite band at a concert? Or felt the way your heart swelled at the climax of a live play or musical, and knew all the hearts around you were swelling, too? 

That feeling of group synergy, that sense that we belong to something greater than ourselves, has a name: collective effervescence. It’s the spark of shared energy and connection felt by a community that rallies around common experiences and purpose. And it’s really quite good for us (Kronstead, 2025).

Why Do We Need Collective Effervescence? 

Evidence suggests that collective effervescence increases human flourishing and is correlated with greater happiness and life satisfaction (VanderWeele, 2017). When we collectively participate in rituals, whether that be singing hymns in church or belting out our alma mater’s fight song, we experience social cohesion and reduced anxiety (Irving et al., 2024). In short, getting in rhythm with those around us not only fosters unity but can also improve personal mental health.

Why Aren't We Having More Communal Experiences? 

Communities that participate in experiences promoting collective effervescence are undoubtedly the most satisfying (Haidt, 2024, p. 203), so why aren’t we seeing more of these opportunities? The answer lives in our pockets, and it’s the most accessible distraction humanity has ever known: our smartphones. As online networks take over the social scene, we are leaving less time and space for physical communities. Even if we engage in online communities, multiplayer games, or social media platforms, the short dopamine hits of these activities simply cannot rival the experience of collective effervescence. Collective effervescence can only happen when humans gather IRL (that’s in real life).

How Can We Save Our Communal Relationships?

It's not too late to reclaim and satisfy our natural craving for group synergy and shared experiences. Here are three ways we can combat the effects of smartphone usage and save our communal relationships. 

1. Show Up!

As Jonathan Haidt encourages in The Anxious Generation, we need to “reconnect to the rhythms of the calendar and our communities” (Haidt, 2024, p. 204) by celebrating holidays and honoring traditions. Attend community events (especially if they get everyone outdoors!) like parades, festivals, or sporting events.  Incorporate synchronous activities into your family life by eating together, playing games, or trying out a hidden gem [Hidden Gems: Family and Relationship Guides | USU]. Invite other families to join you, further increasing everyone's life satisfaction by engaging in communal events! 

2. Create Phone-Free Zones

Remember, synchrony cannot exist if it is being blocked by a phone. Whether it be around the dinner table, a fire, or your local theater, have spaces in which you allow yourself to disconnect from your phone and reconnect to your community. Hanging out with friends is great, but you will not reap the benefits of social engagement if you’re behind a screen. 

3. Create Reminders to Connect

Think about the objects that hold personal meaning and value to you—from sports jerseys to sacred religious objects, like a mala, cross, or a symbolic piece of jewelry. It’s not the objects themselves that are meaningful, but rather the values they represent, the actions they prompt, and the communities they connect us to. Recognizing the significance of simple objects can help us reprioritize connection. For example, when you sit down for dinner at night, let the dining room table be a reminder to put your phone down and chat with your family, deepening the relationships that are important to you. Just as the mala reminds its user to be prayerful or meditative, where we eat can serve as a reminder of the importance of connection. What other objects in your life can you assign meaning to support your access to community and collective effervescence?

In short, the benefits of collective effervescence can be felt on more than a communal level, as they positively reshape individual mental well-being as well. By showing up to community events, creating phone-free zones, and reminding ourselves to connect, we can more fully reap the benefits of communal relationships and curb the potentially damaging effects of smartphone usage.

References

Haidt, J. (2024). The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness. Penguin Press.

Irving, B., Kavanagh, C., Fischer, R., Yuki, M. (2024). Dance for the dead: The role of top-down beliefs for social cohesion and anxiety management in naturally occurring collective rituals. PLOS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291655 

Kronstead, C. (2025). Collective effervescence as self-organization and enaction. Journal of Social Ontology. 11(1), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.25365/jso-2025-8732 

VanderWeele, T. (2017). Religious communities and human flourishing. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 26(5), 476-481. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417721526