Final answer:
The correct answer is option a. Bennington College would be considered their reference group.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is FALSE regarding the students who attended liberal Bennington College but maintained their conservative attitudes is, a. Bennington College would be considered their reference group. A reference group is a group whose values, norms, and beliefs come to serve as a standard for one's own behavior. Considering the scenario, it is more likely that for conservative students at a liberal college, the college acts as a membership group rather than a reference group, since a reference group is one that individuals look to for social norms and values, which would appear to be at odds with maintaining conservative attitudes at a liberal institution.
Families and hometown friends often serve as reference groups, especially since political ideologies and affiliations tend to follow familial lines. Yet, these same entities also represent membership groups, as they are groups that individuals belong to and actively participate within.
Despite attending Bennington College, conservative students may not use the college as their benchmark for acceptable behaviors and attitudes.