Get Reference Group Theory Revisited Form

The Reference Group Effect Across many situations, people's characteristics are evaluated by themselves or others. For instance, a person might want to evaluate her/his math capabilities prior to an important math exam. Inaccurate evaluations, however, can affect people crucially.

REFERENCE GROUPS ARE SAID TO AFFECT BEHAVIOR BY TRAINING INDIVIDUALS TO DEFINE THEMSELVES IN RELATION TO OTHER PEOPLE, REQUIRING THAT THEY FOLLOW THE NORMS PRESCRIBED FOR PERSONS WITH THEIR IDENTITY, AND ENFORCING THEIR DEMANDS THROUGH SANCTIONS.

Merton's concept of the "role model" first appeared in a study on the socialization of medical students at Columbia University. The term grew from his theory of the reference group, the group to which individuals compare themselves but to which they do not necessarily belong.

The Reference Group Effect Across many situations, people's characteristics are evaluated by themselves or others. For instance, a person might want to evaluate her/his math capabilities prior to an important math exam. Inaccurate evaluations, however, can affect people crucially.

reference group The term reference group was coined by Herbert Hyman in Archives of Psychology (1942), to apply to the group against which an individual evaluates his or her own situation or conduct.

Robert K. Merton hypothesized that individuals compare themselves with reference groups of people who occupy the social role to which the individual aspires. Reference groups act as a frame of reference to which people always refer to evaluate their achievements, their role performance, aspirations and ambitions.

Formal reference groups are gardening clubs, political parties, and labor unions. Anytime a person desires to be part of any group, this is an example of an aspirational reference group.