A shoe company's ads feature the members of a popular country music band.Product sales increase significantly among the band's fans.From the fans' viewpoint,the band is a(n)________.
A) membership group
B) reference group
C) laggard
D) subculture
E) late-majority adopter

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A reference group is a group that an individual uses as a basis for comparison regarding beliefs, feelings, and behaviors. In this case, the fans of the country music band are influenced by the members of the band, who are featured in the shoe company's ads. As a result, they are more likely to purchase the shoes, making the band a reference group. A membership group refers to a group with whom one has actual face-to-face interaction, and a subculture refers to a group with distinct values, norms, and behaviors within a larger culture. Laggards and late-majority adopters are terms used in the diffusion of innovation theory and are not applicable in this scenario.

A Shoe Company's Ads Feature the Members of a Popular