Reference group

A social group that is used as a standard that which an individual makes a comparison of himself against. Social groups have any number of qualities, such as economic class, social standing, race, ethnity, etc. that are used as a basis of comparison in setting percieved social norms. The influence can be both concious and unconcoius.

A reference group is a group that individuals use as a standard for evaluating themselves and their own behavior. Reference groups have two basic purposes. They set and enforced standards of conduct and belief, as well as serve as a standard against which people can measure themselves and others.