essay about reference group

Harold Kelley (1952) recognised two distinct types of reference groups based on the functions that they perform – 1. Normative Reference Groups– Normative reference groups serve as a source of an individual’s norms, values and attitudes. These are groups that people look up to so that they may understand how …

Reference groups refer to groups of people whose norms and behaviors we want to either emulate (a positive reference) or avoid (a negative reference). This concept was traditionally used in sociology (see: reference …

A reference group is a collection of people that we use as a standard of comparison for ourselves regardless of whether we are part of that group. We rely on reference groups to understand social norms, which then …

Reference groups play a pertinent role in the make-up of college students’ behavior and attitude. The term reference group was coined by Hyman during the study of social standing when he required respondents with “which …

In sociology, a reference group refers to a group to which an individual compares themselves, providing a standard of evaluation. It influences an individual's behavior and attitudes, regardless of whether they …

A reference group is a group of people whose norms influence a person’s behaviors. We use the group as a ‘frame of reference’ to make behavioral decisions.

A reference group is a group that helps us understand or make sense of our position in society relative to other groups (Conley, 2015). In other words, we use these groups as a way to judge …

Aspirational reference groups can motivate college students to pursue academic or vocational goals, while negative reference groups can lead to poor academic performance, …

If the groups to which individuals refer themselves, their reference groups, are empirically determined, knowledge and predictions of attitude, self-evaluation, and conduct will …