Reference group - social group which is for the person a significant standard, way of the organization both for itself, and for others and also a starting point of production of value orientations and social norms.
Functions of reference group are divided into comparative and standard. Standard act as a source of norms by means of which settlement of behavior of people is carried out. They become a reference point according to the solution of significant problems. Comparative, in turn, is the standard for the individual with which he identifies himself and surrounding people. The same group is capable to be comparative and standard at the same time. Reference groups upon accessory divide into ideal and presence. Presence differs in the fact that the individual is a member of the group. And that group what he does not enter will be ideal for the person, but on views and the relations of which it is focused in the behavior and estimation of people and considerable events.
The ideal group is both fictional, and real-life. In fictional group as vital ideals and standards of value judgment serve literary heroes, the famous historic figures. Anyway the person seeks to be the adherent of ideal group.
On negative and positive reference groups are classified according to denial or the consent of the personality with values and norms of group. From that the person tries to correspond to disapproving estimates from that group to what norms he does not adhere and vice versa – to get approval of the acts from that society to which norms tries to answer. E.V. Shchedrina developed the special experimental procedure revealing reference groups – a referentometriya. It is intended for establishment and identification of level of reference character of participants of group for any individual entering it. That is it defines a circle of people which opinion the individual considers the most significant for himself. In social psychology and sociology the concept of reference group is applied usually to an explanation of social and psychological mechanisms which participate in development of individual value and standard installations and regulation of consciousness of the personality. Influence of reference group on the person is important. Therefore these groups reveal for the purpose of carrying out social researches which are connected with development effective propagandists and pedagogical influences. Referentometriya helps to study orientation of the personality and to look for ways for her purposeful formation.