ABSTRACT
The social environment in which we live creates a number of ‘reference groups’ that influence an individual’s decisions related to personal life, work and leisure. A reference group is any person or group that serves as a point of comparison for an individual, including influencing the formation of consumer values, attitudes, and behaviour (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2004). Reference groups can take the form of symbolic groups, and can include family, friends and colleagues, as well as sport fan clubs, running and golf clubs and sport communities.
