Ethnic and national groups play an important role in present day society. Both are the product of mobilisation where various symbols are used to promote a sense of community in the minds of individuals. Ethnic association is specifically based on the belief of common descent among a defined population. In comparison, the nation is less exclusive and incorporates a number of different groupings within its boundaries. People learn to associate with these groupings through the socialisation process, whereby individuals become productive members by acquiring knowledge of the group. During this process a variety of constructs are formed, which are used to interpret the external world. However, learning can be influenced by social group identification, which determines both how messages are transmitted and what is received by the individual. It is theorised that minority group members will hold of different social group images, in comparison with those who identify with the majority group in society. The four hypotheses generated from this basic proposition will be investigated using eight separate word association studies. The constructs under investigation are the nation ('New Zealand'); the national identity ('New Zealander'); and the two ethnic groups, ('Maori' and 'European/ Pakeha'). Three hundred and nineteen respondents participated in the studies, which were conducted on first year university students. The findings indicate several significant differences in the social group images held by Maori and Pakeha, which reflects both the nature and societal experience of the two groups. Following from the word association studies, a series of interviews are undertaken to explore how Maori and Pakeha identify with the various social groups in New Zealand society. Association is fundamentally based upon what personal needs an individual seeks to satisfy, and how successfully the particular groupings can meet these demands.