Effective Factors on Choosing Reference Group Among Students Sociological Studying of Changing Reference Group Among Students

“Reference Group” is one of the significant identity sources for person in a group and larger dimension; in a society. Reference group has much influence in forming theories, values, norms and behavior of people in a society. Changing reference group from in-group to out-group causes prevalence of other group's (or society) values and norms, also divergence from usual or accepted standards of behavior (deviance). Moreover changing reference group can bring crisis of identity. In this research the level of referencing Western developed societies among students of Isfahan University and Isfahan University of Technology were measured. Independent variables were desirability of economic, social political and value systems of these societies. Also the impacts of economic, political and value factors of Iran's society were measured and mechanisms of their impacts on changing reference group were analyzed. Social class and effects of Western mass media were the other independent variables.The result indicates that changing reference group among students is dramatically expanding, which can cause undesirable results such as alienation, decline of social solidarity, wastefully consumption and weakening of economic system of society and etc.