La teoría de los grupos de referencia

Abstract

The goal of this article is to present a reconstruction of the reference groups theory. Thetheory developed by Robert K. Merton is a theory largely used in the most varied fields of social sciences but, still up to this day, it does not have a more accurate treatment from themetascientific standpoint. The reconstruction will attend the presentation of it is reflected intwo articles in his book Social Theory and Social Structure, 1968, namely: “Contributionsto the theory of reference group behavior” and “Continuities in the theory of referencegroups and social structure”. To present this reconstruction, we will use the instruments ofa contemporary conception of theories, namely the Structuralist Metatheory. After an informalaccount of the theory will be presented their potential models, models, partial potentialmodels, applications intended and some comments about the notion of “reference group” inwhat respects its relational and dispositional nature.