The reference group is a social communityserving for a person a peculiar report system, a standard for others and oneself. This is the source of the formation of value beliefs, orientations and social norms.
Classification they are carried out on several grounds:
- the functions performed differ comparative and regulatory;
- on the basis of membership - ideal and presence groups;
- taking into account the consent or denial of values and norms by an individual, there are negative and positive ones.
Consider the selected phenomena in more detail.
A normative reference group is a source of norms that regulate human behavior, as a guideline for significant problems. Comparative is the benchmark for evaluating others and themselves.
Reference Reference Group - Community, Memberwhich will be the individual. It is significantly different from the ideal. In its framework, the individual wants to focus on its norms and values in behavior, in evaluating events, in relation to people. But for some reason a person does not enter it, although it is attractive for him. Moreover, the ideal community can be both real-life and fictional. In this case, heroes of literary works and historical characters serve as an example for evaluations, life convictions and ideals.
In a positive reference group, socialvalues and norms are fully consistent with the ideas of each individual. In the negative, the significance and importance of assessments and opinions that are propagated in a community are alien and opposed to the beliefs of the individual. Therefore, in his behavior he tries to get negative evaluations, "disapproval" of his position on her part.
Typology
one).The reference reference can be real as well as imaginary, which is the result of design. Its members often do not even suspect that they are one cohesive community.
2). An information reference group is a group of people whose information we trust. In it stand out:
- carriers of knowledge and experience that used this service or group;
- Experts are usually evaluated as the most knowledgeable in a given field, whose judgment will accurately reflect the available qualities of a product, phenomenon, service, and so on.
3).The community of self-identification is a group to which a person is forced to belong, being constantly under the pressure of its values and norms. In such a situation, the individual would like to avoid outside influence, but he fails.
four).The most common is the value reference group. Sociology was able to form a rich theoretical and empirical material in its study. Value community is a real or imaginary group of people, which is considered by the individual as a vivid carrier, the exponent of those beliefs that he shares. But, since she actively confesses them with the help of her lifestyle, a person seeks to constantly imitate her, following the accepted mode of behavior. As a rule, the individual does not belong to this group, being far from it both in social and physical spaces. In this role are the "stars" of cinema, sports, heroes, pop musicians, as well as prominent figures of the field that is significant to man.
five).The utilitarian group is a community that has an arsenal of negative and positive sanctions. She is able to punish and reward the individual. Usually, it is imaginary and real people who share her beliefs.
But keep in mind the following. The same reference group may act in different capacities, since this will largely depend on the specific situation and the conditions of its functioning.
