Joel has just ended his three-year relationship with his girlfriend Kristin and is worried that his parents will be very upset with him,as he knows they expected the two of them to marry.For Joel,what type of group are his parents in this situation?
A) a secondary group
B) an out-group
C) a reference group
D) a dominant group

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A reference group is a group to which an individual compares themselves and their behavior. In this case, Joel's parents are his reference group because he is concerned about their approval or disapproval of his actions. They are not an out-group because they are not perceived as being in opposition to Joel, and they are not a dominant group because they do not hold power over Joel. They may be considered a secondary group if they are not his primary social group, but this is not the most fitting label for their role in this situation.

Joel Has Just Ended His Three-Year Relationship with His Girlfriend