Jocelyn is a senior at the local university and plans to go to graduate school in sociology. During her last semester, she has been using graduate sociology student papers as standards in evaluating her own writing skills. For Jocelyn, the graduate sociology students have become her __________.
A) outgroup
B) significant others
C) primary group
D) reference group

Question

Jocelyn is a senior at the local university and plans to go to graduate school in sociology. During her last semester, she has been using graduate sociology student papers as standards in evaluating her own writing skills. For Jocelyn, the graduate sociology students have become her __________.
A) ​outgroup
B) ​significant others
C) ​primary group
D) ​reference group

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Jocelyn is using the graduate sociology students' papers as a standard for her own writing skills, therefore they are her reference group. A reference group is a group to which an individual compares themselves in order to evaluate their attitudes and behaviors.

Jocelyn Is a Senior at the Local University and Plans