Day 133 MCAT Practice Question

Correct answer is A

Identity formation is a complex, multifactorial process that can be influenced by

a number of forces, such as one’s own beliefs, interactions with others, and the

broader culture and society at large. Reference groups are one of these forces, and

refer to the groups of people (whether they be sports teams, groups of friends at

work or school, family groups, cultural or religious groups, a group of famous pop

stars, or any other collection of people) that serve as a reference-point where an

individual’s identity is concerned. In other words, an individual forms, understands,

and develops his or her self-identity in reference to or in comparison to a particular

reference group. For example, a particular person might have a sense of being smart

or accomplished in comparison to a group of their peers at school, or a person

may develop a sense of morality in reference to the virtues promulgated by their

religious leaders.

Answer A is correct because this answer is the best option presented if the goal is

to determine not only which reference groups are important to the participants, but

also which reference groups truly influence those participants. Although there may

be reference groups that have values a person does not consider to be important,

identifying “important values” is the best surrogate marker for determining which

groups a person might view themselves in light of or compare themselves to.