CREATE TABLE people ( id serial primary key, name text ); CREATE TABLE scientists ( university text ) INHERITS (people); CREATE TABLE chefs ( hat_size text ) INHERITS (people); CREATE TABLE people_i_like ( person_id integer references people(id), reason text ); insert into scientists values (default, 'Alice', 'MIT'); insert into chefs values (default, 'Bob', 'medium'); insert into people_i_like values (1, 'taught me math'); --ERROR: insert or update on table "people_i_like" violates foreign key constraint "people_i_like_people_id_fkey" --DETAIL: Key (person_id)=(1) is not present in table "people".