ABSTRACT
Humans, as social beings, generally identify with groups they belong to, and sometimes with groups they do not belong to. These can be referred to as belongingness groups and reference groups. They overlap many times, but not always. People may not belong to a social group and still use that group as a reference group to derive the criteria and standards they need in making decisions about courses of action or judgments.1 Usually these are aspirational groups. Individuals may identify with these groups without necessarily being part of them.
