A twenty-eight-year-old woman is on the verge of a big promotion at work. She didn't finish college until she was twenty-five, and the entry-level job she currently has is unimpressive. She decides to attend her ten-year high school reunion only if she is promoted. What do sociologists say her high school classmates represent if they can have this much influence on her decision to attend the reunion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sociologists would say that the woman's high school classmates represent a reference group, which is a group of people that an individual uses as a standard for evaluating their own attitudes and behaviors. In this case, the woman is using her potential promotion as the standard for attending her high school reunion, and her high school classmates are the reference group that she is comparing herself to.

A Twenty-Eight-Year-Old Woman Is on the Verge of a Big