Reference group

Reference group

A reference group is a sociological concept referring to a group to which another group is compared. Reference groups are used in order to evaluate and determine the nature of a given individual or other group's characteristics and sociological attributes. Reference groups provide the benchmarks and contrast needed for comparison and evaluation of group and personal characteristics.cite book | last = Thompson | first = William | authorlink = | coauthors = Joseph Hickey | year = 2005 | title = Society in Focus | publisher = Pearson | location = Boston, MA| id = 0-205-41365-X]

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" [Reference groups are] groups that people refer to when evaluating their [own] qualities, circumstances, attitudes, values and behaviors." - William Thompson & Joseph Hickey, Society in Focus, 2005.cite book | last = Thompson | first = William | authorlink = | coauthors = Joseph Hickey | year = 2005 | title = Society in Focus | publisher = Pearson | location = Boston, MA| id = 0-205-41365-X] Reference groups act as a frame of reference to which people always refer to evaluate their achievements, their role performance, aspirations and ambitions. A reference group can be either from a membership group or non-membership group.An example of a reference group being used would be the determination of affluence. An individual in the U.S. with an annual income of $80,000, may be considered affluent when compared to those in the middle of the income strata, who earn roughly $32,000 a year,cite web|url=http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/perinc/new03_001.htm|title=US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006|accessdate=2006-12-28] are used for comparison.cite web|url=http://pubdb3.census.gov/macro/032006/perinc/new03_001.htm|title=US Census Bureau, personal income distribution, age 25+, 2006|accessdate=2006-12-28] If, however, the reference group used to determine this particular individuals affluence were to be the top 0.1% of households in the US, those making $1.6 million or more were used as a reference groups, the individual's income of $80,000 would make him or her seem rather poor.cite book | last = Ehrenreich | first = Barbara | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1989 | title = Fear of Falling, The Inner Life of the Middle Class
publisher = Harper Collins | location = New York, NY | id = 0-06-0973331] cite web|url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jun2005/mill-j08.shtml|title=New York Times quote, households with incomes of over 1.6 million|accessdate=2006-12-28]

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