A reference group is a group of people with whom people compare themselves to define their identity. It adheres to values, customs and culture.
For example, for Aboriginal people in Quebec, several reference groups make it possible to establish their identity: they belong to a family and sometimes identify with a clan. The clan is part of a Nation and that Nation is part of a linguistic family – the language spoken by an Aboriginal person also binds the person to other Nations in the linguistic family, which shares the same traditional way of life.
Since many Aboriginal people live all over the world, share values and face similar challenges, Quebec’s Aboriginal people also identify with the large reference group formed by all of the Aboriginal peoples of the world.