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Belonging is a fundamental psychological need that extends beyond our closest relationships.

Feeling at home often has less to do with a place than with the people and experiences that connect us to it.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: The Hallmark Countdown to Christmas. Families are at the center of so many of the stories we watch, whether we recognize it or not. As a family scientist, I'm interested in how these stories reflect what research tells us about family relationships—and where popular portrayals differ from what we know.

In this blog series, I'll use familiar stories from popular culture to explore the science of family life, examining the relationships, experiences, and everyday interactions that shape how we connect with one another.

"Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story"

Hallmark Christmas movies have a fairly predictable formula: Someone arrives in a new place (or returns to an old one), discovers an unexpected connection, and begins reconsidering what matters most in life. Usually, romance plays a central role. But sometimes the more interesting love story isn't between two people; it's between a person and a community. That's what makes Hallmark's Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story an interesting opportunity to consider the psychology of belonging.

This movie features Avery Clark, an ambitious freelance reporter who returns to Chicago for Christmas. Accustomed to moving often for work, Avery knows little about football or the city. When she begins profiling Darlene Donnelly, a devoted Chicago Bears fan preparing to attend her 500th game, Avery encounters a........

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