Groups

                                Reference group

The term 'reference group' was introduced into the literature on small groups by Muzafer Sarif in his textbooks "An outline of Social Psychology-1948. He used the term in contrast to the membership group.Membership group refer to a group which a person belongs,while the reference group refers to a group that affects his behaviour.

Ogburn and Nimkoff,"group which serves as a points of comparison are known as reference group".

Horton and Hunt says that " A reference group is any group to which we refer when making judgements any group whose values judgments become our values judgments." They have further said "groups which are important as models for ones ideas and conduct norms can be called reference group.

                      Types of Reference Groups

Sociologists have identified two types of reference groups-

1-Positive Reference Group- These are the ones we want to be accepted by. Thus, if want to be a film actor. We might carefully observe and imitate the behaviour of film actors.
These are the groups, collectivities or persons actions that provide the person with a guide to action by explicitly setting norms and espousing values.

2-Negative Reference Group- These groups we do not want to be identified with,also serve as sources of self-evaluation. A person might ,for example, try to avoid resembling members of a particular religious group or a circus group.
A group rejected by or in opposition to ego's own group, it is the enemy or the negative group.