Sociology: Reference Groups

Reference Groups

• Reference groups are social groups that we use to evaluate ourselves and acquire attitudes, values, beliefs, norms, and mores.
• Examples of reference groups include families, teachers, classmates, student government leaders, social organizations, rock groups, and professional sports teams.
• We may consider a group as a reference group even if we are not a member of it, as long as we evaluate ourselves in terms of their standards and subscribe to their beliefs, values, and norms.

In-Groups and Out-Groups

• In-groups and out-groups are types of reference groups that are interdependent and form around shared identities, interests, or affiliations.
• An in-group requires extreme loyalty from its members and competes with and is opposed to an out-group.
• In-group members tend to feel opposition, antagonism, or competition towards the out-group, and divide people into "we" and "they".
• Examples of in-groups and out-groups include schools, athletic teams, racially or ethnically divided neighborhoods, or countries at war.

Boundaries of In-Groups

• In-groups must have boundaries to distinguish between who is "in" and who is not.
• Boundaries can be symbols (badges, clothes, or slang), actions (handshake, high five), or involve a specific place.
• New members are often taught the boundaries at formal or informal initiation ceremonies.