bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumer Education and the Preschool Child
Authors: STAMPFL RONALD W. , MOSCHIS GEORGE , LAWTON JOSEPH T.
Published: July 2010

Children are consumers and subject to a number of factors which socialize them into this role. Consumer education is often cited as an important tool in directing this socialization process toward the desired result of developing efficient and knowledgeable consumers. But how early can consumer education begin in the school setting? Can the preschool child be taught basic marketplace concepts and sequences or is this consumer simply too young? What are the early building blocks of consumer education? Do some approaches to teaching the very young consumer work better than others? This study presents a conceptual framework and the results of an exploratory laboratory study which begin to answer these important questions.
An Analysis of Third Party Consumer Complaint Handling Mechanisms: The Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection
Authors: GEISTFELD LOREN V. , CHOY ROBERTA K. M.
Published: July 2010

This paper presents a preliminary analysis of third party complaint handling mechanisms, based on data obtained from the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection. Specifically, the study focuses on the types of complaints processed by the Agency, the factors which affect the redress received by consumers and the length of investigation time.
Social Psychological (Mis)Representations in Television Advertising
Authors: SHIMP TERENCE A.
Published: July 2010

As a result of the FTC's more aggressive approach to regulating advertising, there has been a noticeable reduction in the amount of blatant lies in advertisements. More subtle forms of deceit are still a problem, however. This paper examines a special form of subtly deceptive advertising termed the social‐psychological representation. A case is developed from available conceptual and empirical evidence to show how this apparently innocuous advertising method can deceive advertising receivers. Results are presented from a content analysis of television commercials which reveal that social‐psychological representations are used extensively in national advertising.
Consumer Reactions to Variable Rate Mortgages
Authors: ALBAUM GERALD
Published: July 2010

This paper reports on a study which explored consumers' reaction to the variable rate mortgage, which represents an innovation in residential mortgages in the United States. The sample consisted of California home buyers who had obtained either a variable rate mortgage (VRM) or a fixed rate mortgage (FRM). The results suggest that lenders have not discriminated against minority or lower‐income people in granting VRMs. VRM users were more knowledgeable about and favorable toward VRMs than were FRM users. VRM users were, however, less satisfied with their mortgages and less inclined to prefer the same type of mortgage for a future home purchase than were FRM users.
Shoppers' Reactions to Supermarket Price Scanning and Shopper Price Marking
Authors: LANGREHR FREDERICK W. , ROBINSON RICHARD K.
Published: July 2010

Supermarkets are starting to adopt price scanning checkouts. Other supermarkets, both scanner equipped and non‐scanner equipped, are removing individual item prices. Although much has been written, especially in the retail trade press, about the advantages to retailers of scanner check‐outs little attention has been paid to shopper reactions. This study sought to determine the attitudes and behavior of shoppers at scanner equiped supermarkets. Some user reactions to self‐price marking of purchases was also determined.
Managerial Behavior of Young Families in Pursuit of Single‐Family Home Ownership
Authors: WINTER MARY
Published: July 2010

The managerial behavior of young families in the pursuit of home ownership was explored with a sample of 1267 households from northwestern lowa. Young owners had higher incomes and higher monthly housing expenses than young nonowners, but the percentage of income devoted to housing did not differ between young owners and young nonowners. Young owners did not have a higher number of full‐time workers per household than young nonowners. Young owners had higher persons‐per‐room ratios and had compromised neighborhood accessibility standards, but not housing quality standards. The findings indicate that a high level of monetary resources was a key factor in enabling young families to own a single‐family detached dwelling, for there were few important compromises in housing space and quality.
Consumer Preferences for Food Label Information: A Basis for Segmentation
Authors: McCULLOUGH JAMES , BEST ROGER
Published: July 2010

Analysis of consumer reactions to food labeling alternatives using conjoint measurement raises questions concerning policy proposals to provide consumers with information. Conjoint measurement permits analysis of components of consumer perceptions without tedious data collection and analysis procedures. The study indicates that consumer preferences for information vary widely and an optimal policy should provide different labels for different market segments. Increasing the amount of information may reduce its effectiveness among the low income consumers it is intended to help.
Generic Drugs: Consumer, Pharmacist and Physician Perceptions of the Issues
Authors: MASON J. BARRY , BEARDEN WILLIAM O.
Published: July 2010

This article explores consumer, pharmacist, and physician perceptions of the issues affecting generic prescribing and dispensing of prescription drugs. The analysis is based on responses from 105 consumers, 118 pharmacists, and 412 physicians in Alabama. Perceptions regarding the issues of drug safety, efficacy, quality, manufacturer reputation, physician/pharmacist liability, and pricing and the roles of physicians and pharmacists in expanding generic practices were examined. Concerns about price, safety, liability, and manufacturer performance were expressed. The findings described are compared and contrasted with previous research.
Opinions on Consumer Issues: A Review of Recent Studies of Executives and Consumers
Authors: STANLEY THOMAS J. , ROBINSON LARRY M.
Published: July 2010

How do consumers and marketers differ in their views on consumer issues? Have these differences changed over time? In an attempt to answer these questions, this paper compares findings from five major attitudinal studies conducted between 1971 and 1977, which examined the attitudes of the two groups. This analysis focuses on five key issue areas: product quality, advertising, consumer information, perceptions of corporate attitudes and government regulation. Consumers and business executives were found to have wide differences of opinion in all the studies examined. The differences were particularly sharp on perceptions of corporate attitudes and on the need for more government regulation.
Consumer‐Interest Study in Higher Education: A Conceptual Analysis of an Emerging Discipline
Authors: KROLL ROBERT J. , HUNT SHELBY D.
Published: July 2010

The study of the consumer interest in higher education is currently represented by departments, program areas, and curricula with a wide variety of titles (e.g., “consumer economics” and “consumer affairs”) and emphases (e.g., consumer purchase decisions and public policy formulation. This diversity of titles and emphases is indicative of the current lack of agreement concerning the focus, scope and direction of the field as a whole. The authors propose a disciplinary rationale which integrates the many approaches to consumer‐interest study while distinguishing it from the traditional disciplines to which it is most closely related: economics, home economics, and marketing. It is argued that consumer‐interest study has a distinct content focus and distinct dimensional properties which qualify it for separate disciplinary status. The authors further propose that the emerging discipline be known as “consumer science” since that title appropriately encompasses both the field's current characteristics and its anticipated development.
Consumer Concerns of Senior Citizen Center Participants
Authors: BURTON JOHN R. , HENNON CHARLES B.
Published: July 2010

The greater emphasis being given to the development of education programs and public policy dealing with the consumer problems of the elderly creates a need for systematically assessing the specific problems this group perceives. This paper reports an in‐depth study that identified and compared consumer concerns and educational interests of senior citizen center participants in three age groups (55–64, 65–74, and 75 and over) living in rural and urban areas. The frequency with which participants expressed concern with particular areas differed relatively little between subgroups. Urban participants and younger participants expressed higher levels of concern than did rural or older participants. The areas about which the participants were most frequently interested in learning more were medical services and utilities, although many participants indicated they felt no need for consumer education. Television and newspaper articles were the most preferred media for receiving information.
Price Savings to Consumers at Farmers' Markets
Authors: SOMMER ROBERT , WING MARGARET , AITKENS SUSAN
Published: July 2010

This study determined the price savings to be realized by consumers by shopping at 15 certified farmers’ markets in California during the summer and fall of 1979. Substantial savings were found compared to local supermarket prices and the differences appeared in cities of different size and during different seasons of the year.
Appliance Warranties as a Market Signal?
Authors: GERNER JENNIFER L. , BRYANT W. KEITH
Published: July 2010

Appliance warranties can be considered to provide a market signal of appliance reliability. However, the cost to consumers of obtaining enough information to interpret the signal causes the dispersion of warranty provisions to be limited. The more complicated the laws surrounding warranties, the greater the cost to consumers of warranty information. This makes warranties less effective as a market signal and reduces the variation in warranty provisions. Upon examination, appliance warranties for refrigerators, air conditioners, ranges, clothes washing machines, and television sets were found, consistent with this view, to vary relatively little.
Consumer Knowledge of the Costs of Open‐end Credit
Authors: KINSEY JEAN , MCALISTER RAY
Published: July 2010

A 1977 mail survey of 1,330 Minnesota households found that few respondents had knowledge of the annual percentage rate (APR) of interest on open‐end credit accounts or knowledge of the actual dollar finance charge. Knowledge of APR and knowledge of actual dollar costs were, however, found to be closely associated with more realistic assessments of “reasonable” credit costs. Economic theory predicts that those who misperceive credit costs will not use an optimum amount of credit given their preferences and resources, 2nd will, therefore, incur some economic loss. This study found that those respondents most likely to have incurred such losses were from households characterized by low levels of income and education.
Quality of Farmers' Market Produce: Flavor and Pesticide Residues
Authors: SOMMER ROBERT , STUMPF MARGOT , BENNETT HENRY
Published: July 2010

Previous research has demonstrated advantages of farmers' markets in price and social atmosphere. Following a multi‐method research strategy, additional investigations were done on produce flavor and pesticide residues. Double‐blind flavor trials with nine separate produce items showed a significant preference for farmers' market over supermarket produce on four items, and equivocal results for the remaining five items. Neither the farmers' market nor the supermarket produce contained detectable pesticide residues above the safe tolerance levels set by federal and state agencies.
Old‐Young Differences in Consumer Expenditure Patterns
Authors: FAREED A. E. , RIGGS G. D.
Published: July 2010

It has been claimed that transfer payments to retired people reduce aggregate private saving. In their attempts to understand this issue, some writers have called for additional research to clarify the spending behavior of the older and younger households. The present paper uses regression analysis to examine the old‐young differences in expenditure patterns as revealed by the 1972–73 BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. With data limitations noted, the findings suggest that, for consumer units headed by older (65+) and younger (<65) persons, the marginal and average propensities to spend relative to after‐tax income were virtually the same when estimated at the mean values of their respective characteristics, such as after‐tax income and family size. The statistical model utilized also suggests that, if given the older units' mean values for these characteristics, the younger group would have exhibited higher propensities to spend than the older.
The Price‐Quality Relationship—Revisited
Authors: GEISTFELD LOREN V.
Published: July 2010

Using price data collected in Indianapolis and Lafayette, Indiana, rank order correlations between price and quality were computed. These were compared to correlations based on price data obtained from the publications of consumer product testing organizations. It was found that price‐quality correlations based on the price data furnished by consumer product testing organizations may not reflect price‐quality correlations for specific markets. A second finding of the study suggests the existence of variability across store types with respect to price‐quality correlations.
Risk‐Benefit Analysis and the Determination of Acceptable Risk
Authors: DARDIS RACHEL , DAVENPORT GAIL , KURIN JANET , MARR JANET
Published: July 2010

This paper investigates the role of risk‐benefit analysis in assessing the risk associated with a variety of consumption activities. The issue of prevailing risk is of particular importance to public policy makers who must decide what level of risk requires intervention. Risk‐benefit analysis may be used in three major ways: 1) determination of the level of risk to which consumers are exposed, 2) ranking of consumption activities with respect to risk, and 3) determination of consumption activities which should be addressed by risk reduction strategies. The results of the study indicate that considerable variations exist with respect to the risk levels associated with various consumption activities. The study results also suggest that there may be a need for further government intervention in some high risk areas.
Consumer Response to Information that Presents a Range of Possible Performance Levels for a New Product: The Case of Solar Water Heaters
Authors: NESLIN SCOTT A. , ASSMUS GERT
Published: July 2010

This research examined how consumers respond to product information that presents a range of possible performance levels. Hypotheses were tested by the use of mail and telephone surveys administered to a national sample of 511 homeowners. The particular product investigated was solar water heaters. The results indicate that the respondents (1) were less likely to change their prior beliefs toward the financial viability of solar water heaters, and (2) placed more emphasis on the importance of financial risk when they were presented with a range of possible financial consequences associated with solar systems. On balance, the provision of this information did not increase or decrease the average intention of the respondents to purchase solar water heaters. The public policy implications of the study findings are discussed.
Efficient Estimates of the Total Cost of a Selection of Food Items in a Consumer Purchase Setting
Authors: NORBACK JOHN , BAIMA STEVEN L. , MENNES MARY E.
Published: July 2010

The use of computers in planning consumer food purchases requires that price estimates for a selection of goods be determined in advance of the purchases. If such estimates are to be widely used, they must be accurate and inexpensive to generate. This paper describes a price estimation method which meets these criteria. The method is intended to be applied to shopping baskets of goods from any store in a community. The results of empirical tests of the method are reported which reveal support for its accuracy and ease of use.
Consumer Risk Response and Consumer Protection: An Economic Analysis of Seat Belt Usage
Authors: DARDIS RACHEL
Published: July 2010

A utility analysis of decisions involving risk indicated that risk averse consumers would undertake a risk reduction strategy as long as the change in expected loss was equal to or greater than the costs of the strategy. Cost‐benefit analysis of seat belt usage was conducted to test this hypothesis. The results indicated that drivers of all size classes would gain from using seat belts in the case of low user costs while the drivers of subcompacts and compacts would gain in the case of higher user costs. However, less than one‐fifth of drivers wear seat belts. These results raise questions concerning the effectiveness of the informed buyer approach in areas of risk or uncertainty.
Windfall Income and the Permanent Income Hypothesis: New Evidence
Authors: ABDEL‐GHANY MOHAMED , BIVENS GORDON E. , KEELER JAMES P. , JAMES WILLIAM L.
Published: July 2010

This paper examines consumer response to windfall income. By using data from the 1972–73 Consumer Expenditure Surveys, an attempt was made to test Friedman's permanent income hypothesis. The results revealed that the marginal propensity to consume regular income was greater than the marginal propensity to consume windfall income for windfalls that were large relative to regular income. However, when windfall income was less than ten percent of regular income, the relationship reversed. Implications are drawn for short and long‐run fiscal policies affecting consumers
Economic Considerations in Forming Consumer Cooperatives and Establishing Pricing and Financing Policies
Authors: SEXTON RICHARD J.
Published: July 2010

This study identifies structural features of markets which provide inducements for consumers to form cooperatives, and derives conditions under which consumer welfare is enhanced through cooperation. Market‐failure conditions are discussed which may provide consumers with an economic incentive to form cooperatives.

Also addressed, through application of a simple game theory model, are issues concerning optimal pricing, financing arrangements and cooperative stability. In this regard, it is shown that prevailing cooperative pricing and financial methods often tend to needlessly restrict output and membership and, consequently, cause unit costs to be higher than necessary in an increasing‐returns‐to‐scale environment, which it is argued, is the typical environment for most consumer cooperatives. Instability, in turn, tends to occur when cooperatives attempt to operate at outputs beyond those associated with minimum average cost because some members may reduce their patronage costs through formation of a new, smaller cooperative.
Equal Credit Opportunity Legislation and Indicators of Credit Worthiness: An Economic Study of Women Applicants for Credit in California
Authors: ZICK CATHLEEN D.
Published: July 2010

Although much equal credit opportunity legislation has been passed in recent years, little has been done to ascertain whether the new laws have actually altered lending practices or whether the practices were sex‐biased initially. This research makes use of a sample of 241 women from five counties in California to show what factors affect the probability of credit extension to women in that state, and whether these variables are different from those that were associated with lending practices before the law's passage.

The results indicate that prior to the passage of the law, several market indices, including home ownership and spousal support, were associated with an applicant's ability to obtain credit. After passage of the law these indices were no longer significant predictors of loan approval. Within the limits of the data and the design used here, the empirical evidence supported the hypothesis that California credit institutions changed their lending criteria after the passage of equal credit opportunity legislation.
Price Dispersion and the Gains From Search in Local Food Markets
Authors: HALL BRUCE F.
Published: July 2010

The wide range of prices found in local food markets allows consumers to reduce the cost of food purchases through comparison shopping in two or more stores. Little is known, however, about how much can be saved by comparing prices for a whole market basket of food items.

This paper presents evidence relating to the savings which can be realized through comparison shopping, and shows how savings can vary in markets of different sizes. Analysis of data on the prices of a market basket of food items in 15 local markets indicates that there are substantial differences in the dispersion of prices between small, medium and large food markets. The effect of these differences is to make the potential saving from comparison shopping much greater in large market areas, as compared with small ones. It is found that the dollar benefits of comparison shopping to consumers are likely to be greater than the costs of search in large shopping areas, but may not justify the costs in small and medium size areas.
Conceptualization and Measurement of Optimal Consumer Decision‐Making
Authors: SPROLES GEORGE B.
Published: July 2010

The theory of optimal choice is founded on the classic principles of maximization and rationality which are developed in economics and other social sciences. The principle of maximization is applicable to the analysis of consumers' choices in contexts ranging from individual consumer decisions to efficient operation of consumer markets in aggregate. Newer and revised formulations of maximization have evolved in the related concepts of satisficing behavior, efficiency of choice, decision quality and choice accuracy. This paper reviews the evolution of these concepts, with special attention to the context of optimal consumer choice at the individual level. Empirical measures of optimal consumer decision‐making are also reviewed. Finally, optimal consumer decision‐making is conceptualized both in terms of 1) optimal outcomes (choices) and 2) optimality of the actual decision‐making process prior to choice.
Using Content Analysis to Examine Consumer Behaviors Portrayed on Television: A Pilot Study in a Consumer Education Context
Authors: WAY WENDY L.
Published: July 2010

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential of content analysis methodology for clarifying the nature of one agent of consumer socialization, prime‐time television. The results indicated that the consumer‐related content of prime‐time television programs can be identified with this technique and that it may be useful in studying a variety of issues in consumer affairs. Special issues that should be considered in using the methodology are outlined, as are some promising avenues for future research concerning the socialization of consumers.
Social Efficiency of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 With Regard to Personal Bankruptcy
Authors: SULLIVAN A. CHARLENE , DRECNIK DEBRA A.
Published: July 2010

A socially efficient bankruptcy law is one that would have the effect of minimizing the present value of social costs stemming from bankruptcy while permitting debtors to make a “fresh start.” Analysis of a sample of petitions for personal nonbusiness bankruptcy filed under the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 shows that about 30 percent of petitions for Chapter 7 and about 25 percent of petitions for Chapter 13 were cases where social costs were not minimized as would be required under socially efficient bankruptcy legislation. The social costs of Chapter 7 may be reduced under proposed reform [S. 445 and H. R. 1800] as the judge would be provided with information concerning estimates of debts repayable under both chapters and would disallow those Chapter 7 cases which represented a substantial abuse of bankruptcy law. The study data suggest that guidelines for acceptance of Chapter 13 cases should also be scrutinized. In particular, petitioners should be discouraged from providing “token” debt repayment plans while maintaining ownership of large accumulations of assets.
A proposed Procedure for Facilitating the Analysis of Lease‐Purchase Decisions by Consumers
Authors: PATRICK THOMAS M.
Published: July 2010

Advertising extolling the advantages of leasing an automobile is increasing, leading many consumers to ask whether leasing makes sense as an alternative to ownership. This paper sets forth a simple procedure which professional financial advisors and educators can use to help consumers make this decision. The procedure can be applied to any buy‐lease decision. In what follows, key variables in the buy‐lease decision are identified, and an example using actual data is presented to illustrate the procedure.
Consumer Boycotts in the United States, 1970–1980: Contemporary Events in Historical Perspective
Authors: FRIEDMAN MONROE
Published: July 2010

Despite the theoretical and practical interest in consumer boycotts, little in the way of an empirical literature has accumulated on this form of marketplace action. The present study surveyed news sources and participants in an effort to understand consumer boycotts which occurred in the United States in the 1970–1980 period. A total of 90 boycotts was identified and described. The findings indicate that boycotts have involved an unusually wide variety of protest groups, target organizations, and social concerns in cities and states in every region of the United States. They also appear to be on the increase. Some factors which may influence the success of boycotts are identified and discussed. Also discussed are ways in which consumer boycotts in the United States have changed and ways in which they have remained the same since the turn of the century. Of special interest here is the growing use of “surrogate boycotts” to deal with issues with origins outside of the marketplace.
Use of Product‐Testing Organizations' Recommendations as a Strategy for Choice Simplification
Authors: OLSHAVSKY RICHARD W. , ROSEN DENNIS L.
Published: July 2010

A re‐examination of survey data concerning the manner in which subscribers to Consumer Reports actually use the information presented in the magazine suggests that some subscribers simplify their decision making by following the brand recommendations provided. The results of a separate laboratory study with students as subjects provide additional evidence for the use of brand recommendations as part of a decision simplifying strategy. Implications of the findings for public policy are discussed.
State Used Motor Vehicle Disclosure Laws: Do They Make a Difference to the Consumer?
Authors: PRATT MICHAEL D. , HOFFER GEORGE E.
Published: July 2010

Because of recurring unfavorable consumer experiences, there have been a number of market and nonmarket responses to the quality uncertainty encountered in the used vehicle market. Several states have enacted used vehicle disclosure laws. This paper examines whether certain state used vehicle disclosure laws provide consumers with enough additional information so as to impact the quality mix of traded vehicles. The reported repair records of recently transacted vehicles in three states were examined: Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Using Census data from the TIU Survey, pairwise tests of the equality of the mean maintenance expenditures of recently transacted vehicles from these three states were performed. Results were verified with a regression analysis. We were unable to find evidence that the currently mandated disclosure requirements in Wisconsin and Iowa were effective in increasing the number of good quality vehicles traded in the market. Our conclusions are drawn exclusive of any secondary benefits or costs that might accrue to the consumer and to society.
Funeral Price Disclosure in an Urban Market
Authors: SOMMER ROBERT , NELSON SANDRA , HOYT KATHLEEN
Published: July 2010

During telephone interviews in which funeral directors were asked to provide the least expensive option for a fixed list of services, substantial price dispersion among providers was found. Prospective customers were quoted higher prices than were quoted to consumer researchers. The cost of cremation was one‐fifth that of earth burial, and cemetery charges amounted to more than one‐half of earth burial costs. A memorial society member was quoted lower prices than were available to private customers of the same firm, and lower prices in relation to other funeral providers. These surveys were supported in an examination of actual funeral bills for memorial society members.
Lessons for Consumer Education Policy: The Case of the Office of Consumers' Education
Authors: SLAGLE MICHELLE L.
Published: July 2010

The Office of Consumers' Education existed for almost seven years, disbursing in excess of $18 million for grants and contracts in support of consumer education activities. Stimulated by this funding consumer education evolved and expanded, and many excellent products were produced. At the same time, however, the program experienced substantial difficulties. Poor program design, initial failure to articulate goals and objectives, and inadequate administrative support all served to reduce the potential effect of this program. The OCE experience can provide guidance for future consumer education programs, at any governmental level. There is no need to repeat costly lessons about the form and substance of such programs where the case of OCE provides useful instruction.1
Do Young Children Understand the Selling Intent of Commercials?
Authors: MACKLIN M. CAROLE
Published: July 2010

An important question for marketers, educators, government regulators, and parents is whether young children understand the selling intent of television commercials. In a replication of an approach used by Donohue, Henke, and Donohue [6], preschoolers appeared competent in their understanding by selecting a photograph illustrating a purchase behavior. In an extension that included additional nonverbal measures, young children indicated little understanding, however, of the selling intent of commercials. Researchers interested in advertising effects on children are urged to consider the necessity and desirability of improved nonverbal measures in dealing with a subject population with limited language facility.
Prices of Unpackaged and Packaged Foods
Authors: JOHNSON SCOTT LEE , SOMMER ROBERT , MAYES LORA
Published: July 2010

Prices of packaged and unpackaged items sold in the same retail out‐let were compared in 19 northern California supermarkets. The magnitude of potential price savings depended upon the size and type of product purchased. Savings would most likely accrue to the purchaser of small rather than large quantities of unpackaged products. The future of unpackaged foods is linked to technical developments in sealed dispensers that limit customer access to the product.
Pursuit of Consumer Education for Prescription Drugs
Authors: CHARTERS MARGARET A. , BROWN INA SUE
Published: July 2010

The history of the pursuit of consumer education regarding prescription drugs reflects a shift from consumer dependence on public institutions and the medical establishment for information and protection to self‐help and cooperation with health professionals in an effort to improve the quality of health care today. The promotion of voluntary programs for consumer prescription drug education by new government and private sector organizations is outlined and recent baseline research conducted to monitor progress is described. Finally, an expanded role for consumer affairs professionals is recommended.
Mandating Behavioral or Technological Change: The Case of Auto Safety
Authors: MAYER ROBERT N. , ZICK CATHLEEN D.
Published: July 2010

Implementing social regulation can entail the choice between changing technology and changing the behavior of individual consumers and workers. A current example of this choice is whether to mandate passive restraint devices in new cars or to require motorists by law to use seat belts. This paper develops and tests a model for predicting individual choice between those two automobile safety policies. The study's implications for auto safety and other types of social regulation are discussed.
A Decade in Perspective 1975–84: Focus and Trends in the Journal of Consumer Affairs
Authors: GEISTFELD LOREN V. , KEY ROSEMARY
Published: July 2010

An analysis of research articles published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs for the issues published from 1975 (1) through 1984 (2) reveals a marked increase over time in the number of papers focusing on policy issues and a marked decrease over time on articles focusing on the consumer movement and consumer education. The largest number of authors during this period were from the University of California‐Davis. Forty‐four percent of all authors were from business and economics subject areas, and 26 percent were from home economics. Assistant Professors had the highest publishing rate. Papers were found to be equally divided between land grant and nonland grant institutions with the majority being of single or dual authorship. It is concluded that the Journal of Consumer Affairs is meeting its stated editorial policy.
Imperfect Mileage Information and Changing Utility: A Model and Survey Results
Authors: SENAUER BENJAMIN , KINSEY JEAN , ROE TERRY
Published: July 2010

This paper extends work which integrates misinformation into consumer utility theory. It provides a framework for measuring the cost of misinformation or the value of improved information. If automobile purchases are based on imperfect gasoline mileage information, a discrepancy results between consumers' expected and actual fuel expenditures. Based on a survey of new car buyers, the empirical analysis yields estimates of the private and social cost of inaccuracies in automobile buyers' pre‐purchase gasoline mileage estimates. The reliability of mileage information varied from different sources, but many consumers found the EPA fuel‐economy ratings relatively unreliable.
The Demand for Residential Space and Water Heating Fuel by Energy Conserving Households
Authors: DOLTHITT ROBIN A.
Published: July 2010

A model of residential demand for the natural gas used in space and water heating is developed. Parameter estimates of thermal efficiency, internal design temperature, furnace efficiency, family, and economic variables are derived for a sample of households defined as “energy conservers” by virtue of having retrofitted their homes. The paper also addresses econometric problems of simultaneity and index bias. Results indicate that, for this sample, residential demand for natural gas is price elastic.
A Methodology for Profiling Consumers' Decision‐Making Styles
Authors: SPROTLES GEORGE B. , KENDALL ELIZABETH L.
Published: July 2010

Consumers use a variety of decision‐making styles. This paper conceptualizes eight basic characteristics of these styles and develops a Consumer Styles Inventory to measure them empirically. Factor analysis of the Consumer Styles Inventory validates these eight consumer characteristics. A valid and reliable method for presenting a Profile of Consumer Style, based on measures of the eight style characteristics, is described. Unique findings of the research are discussed, and applications of the Consumer Styles Inventory in consumer education, consumer research, and family financial counseling are suggested.
The Ohio Banking Crisis: A Lesson in Consumer Finance
Authors: BOWYER LINDA E. , THOMPSON A. FRANK , SRINIVASAN VENKAT
Published: July 2010

This paper reports the results of a survey taken on April 14, 1985, at a meeting of the depositors in Home State Savings Bank, the Cincinnati‐based savings and loan association that had closed in early March because of losses suffered in government securities transactions. The results for the 578 depositors surveyed show a high percentage of depositors over 55 years of age and retired, with a high school education or less. Although the majority of those surveyed are low‐ to middle‐income consumers, over 50 percent have more than $20,000 on deposit in Home State Savings Bank, which, for most of them, represents over 50 percent of their total savings. A large number of depositors also appear to have limited or incorrect information about Home State's deposit insurance and financial condition.
A Model of Household Heating Demand: Home Production with Satiety and an Endowment
Authors: ANDERSON JOAN GRAY , KUSHMAN JOHN E.
Published: July 2010

A model of household indoor temperature choice is developed and empirically implemented taking into account that indoor temperature exhibits satiety, that temperature is an output of home production, and that there is a natural endowment of outdoor temperature. The model is applied to home heating choices and the welfare effects of an insulation retrofit requirement.
Family Composition and Investment in Household Capital: Contrasts in the Behavior of the Husband‐Wife and Female‐Headed Households
Authors: ZICK CATHLEEN D. , GERNER JENNIFER L.
Published: July 2010

This paper estimates a portfolio model that includes investment in human capital, as well as traditional investments of housing, financial assets, and automobiles, and that contrasts portfolios of husband‐wife households with female‐headed households. Female headed households adjust their portfolios to disequilibria in various stocks more slowly than husband‐wife households.
In‐Kind Food Assistance and Consumer Food Choice
Authors: ZELLNER JAMES A. , TRAUB LARRY G.
Published: July 2010

In‐kind food assistance was the mainstay of federal food programs until the food stamp program expanded. Analysis of aggregate data suggests that large donations of cheese and butter since 1982, through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, replaced recipients’ normal purchases of the donated products, reduced consumption of close substitutes, and increased consumption of certain other protein foods. Programs of this type appear to have limited ability to enhance total demand for products in surplus.
Postcomplaint Processes: From Organizational Response to Repurchase Behavior
Authors: GILLY MARY C.
Published: July 2010

Dissatisfied consumers have the opportunity to complain, and businesses can respond to these complaints. Research into what occurs following this response has been sketchy and incomplete. This study attempts to integrate what is known about organizational response to complaints and consumer reaction to that response. A model of post‐complaint processes is offered and tested using a sample of complainants who wrote to an oil company.
Determinant Behavior Characteristics of Older Consumers
Authors: TONGREN HALE N.
Published: July 2010

The marketing and consumer‐behavior literature for older consumers is analyzed not only for findings, but also in terms of methodology and scope. Based upon this analysis, determinant market behavior of the elderly is identified, an age standard for describing the older market is proposed, areas for future research are suggested, and a meta analysis of pertinent research is conducted.
Coupon Redeemers: Are They Better Shoppers?
Authors: LEVEDAHL J. WILLIAM
Published: July 2010

Previous studies report that coupon redeemers have both greater income and more education than nonredeemers. One explanation for this association is the efficiency hypothesis. This hypothesis holds that higher income/education households are better shoppers, and thus better able to take advantage of the discounts coupons offer. An alternative explanation is the preference/opportunities hypothesis. This hypothesis holds that higher income/education households are more apt to purchase the higher priced brands that offer coupons, and are likely, therefore, to redeem more coupons. Panel data on household purchases of paper towels are used to evaluate these two hypotheses. Evidence in support of both is found.
A Behavioral Science Assessment of Selected Principles of Consumer Education
Authors: FRIEDMAN MONROE , REES JENNIFER
Published: July 2010

This study examines the behavioral science support for a set of twenty food‐buying principles that a content analysis revealed are the most commonly cited in consumer education textbooks in the 1980s. Three types of principles are found; they differ in the consumer behaviors they recommend as well as in the nature and strength of support they receive in the behavioral science literature. In addition, a Multiple Gatekeeping Model is developed to account for low consumer usage of many of the food‐buying principles.
Risk Regulation and Consumer Welfare
Authors: DARDIS RACHEL
Published: July 2010

Health and safety have become major consumer concerns in the 1980s. Major issues focus on who should decide for whom what level of safety and health is appropriate. This paper examines the role of consumers and government in reducing risk. Consideration is given to consumer risk perception and risk response, the need for government intervention, and the various risk evaluation procedures that might be used by government agencies to develop appropriate risk management strategies.
IncorporatingCredit in Demand Analysis
Authors: HAYES DERMOT J.
Published: July 2010

This paper discusses the implications of credit use in models of consumer demand. It proposes a functional form for and presents results from a demand model designed to incorporate the effects of credit use.
The Use of Vivid Stimuli to Enhance Comprehension of the Content of Product Warning Messages
Authors: KELLEY CRAIG A. , GAIDIS WILLIAM C. , REINGEN PETER H.
Published: July 2010

Thousands of consumers are injured annually using consumer products. It is intuitively plausible that vivid product warnings may improve communication of the hazards associated with product use, yet vividness effects have been difficult to demonstrate empirically. Vivid product warnings are shown to increase accurate memory of the hazards associated with product use by enhancing cognitive elaboration on the content of a product warning message. Moreover, vivid product warnings may not, in and of themselves, generate negative elaborations regarding the safety of the product in question.
Using Content Analysis to Understand the Consumer Movement
Authors: SMITH DARLENE BRANNIGAN , BLOOM PAUL N.
Published: July 2010

Drawing on the work of Jenkins and Perrow, a content analysis of information in the New York Times Index is examined to analyze the environment of the consumer movement in the United States over a fourteen‐year period. The results suggest that a fundamental change has occurred in the movement, with less visible activism and less overt business support being provided.
Consumer Correspondence: An Exploratory Investigation of Consistency Between Business Policy and Practice
Authors: MARTIN CHARLES L. , SMART DENISE T.
Published: July 2010

Effective handling of consumer correspondence is recognized as one way for businesses to maintain and enhance relationships with consumers. Previous research has examined actual responses to consumer letters. The present study compares selected consumer packaged goods manufacturers’ responses to consumer letters with their respective customer relations directors’ descriptions of how consumer correspondence is handled. Several dimensions are examined: response rate to consumer letters, response time, personalization and standardization of response, and types of enclosures.
The Impact of the Employment of the Wife on the Achievement of Home Ownership
Authors: DANES SHARON M. , WINTER MARY
Published: July 2010

A logistic regression analysis is used to assess the impact of the wife's income, wage rate, and hours worked on changing from rental tenure to home ownership among a subsample of husband‐wife house‐holds from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Age of the wife, education of the wife, family size, and residence in the Northeast are significant predictors of change in tenure status between 1979 and 1983; of the wife's employment variables tested, only the number of hours worked (a proxy for labor force commitment) is a significant predictor of the probability of changing from rental tenure to home ownership.
An Ordered‐Response Income Adequacy Model
Authors: KUSHMAN JOHN E. , RANNEY CHRISTINE K.
Published: July 2010

Neoclassical economists have rejected subjective, introspective data on income adequacy. An alternative school of thought, primarily based on the “Leyden model,” has embraced such data and rejected the welfare optimization approach of the neoclassicals. This paper develops and demonstrates a model that incorporates the neoclassical optimization framework but deals with subjective, introspective data. The ordered‐response income adequacy model incorporates the best of each approach and is consistent with both.
Cost and Quality Factors in Parents' Choice of After‐School Child Care
Authors: WIDDOWS RICHARD , POWELL DOUGLAS R.
Published: July 2010

The child care choice of parents has been a prime item of policy discussion at all levels of government in recent years. Researchers have responded by examining aspects of cost and quality of care and their implications for the family. One area in which the research effort is in its early stage is after‐school child care. This paper presents an attempt to implement a test of a model of child care choice, adapted to after‐school care. The results of the implementation are reported and recommendations made for the development of a larger‐scale data base.
Television Station Standards for Acceptable Advertising
Authors: ROTFELD HERBERT J. , PARSONS PATRICK R. , ABERNETHY AVERY M. , PAVLIK JOHN V.
Published: July 2010

Information on the procedures, motives, and nature of standards for television commercial acceptance—descriptions of the guidelines and day‐to‐day concerns—were requested from advertising‐supported stations operating in the United States. This generated a detailed descriptive profile of station concerns. The consumer protection utility of this form of self‐regulation is discussed.
The Emergency Food Relief System: An Empirical Study
Authors: RESCHOVSKY JAMES D.
Published: July 2010

The emergency food relief system provides free food to needy persons through soup kitchens and food pantries. The system is described and models of the supply of food distributed are estimated using data from upstate New York. Results suggest that the system responds to the demand for free food by recipients. The system's performance in meeting this demand is associated with characteristics of the nonpoor population and size of the poverty population.
Babies for Sale: Market Ethics and the New Reproductive Technologies
Authors: HIRSCHMAN ELIZABETH C.
Published: July 2010

This paper proposes the presence of a sacred/profane continuum along which marketing exchanges may be made. The functioning of this continuum is illustrated through the examination of novel reproductive markets, e.g. surrogate mothers, in vitro fertilization, that “mix” aspects of sacred and profane exchange, resulting in anxiety and confusion for market participants and society as a whole. Some ethical guidelines for governing such mixed markets are suggested.
Industry Characteristics and Consumer Dissatisfaction
Authors: SINGH JAGDIP
Published: July 2010

Drawing upon Hirschman's (1970) theory, a conceptual framework is developed that attempts to explain how industry characteristics are likely to influence consumers' responses to dissatisfaction. Findings from consumer complaining behavior literature are also incorporated. Several hypotheses are derived and tested utilizing data from three different service categories. Despite the parsimony of Hirschman's theory, the results are encouraging. Also, the stability and validity of the results are examined under several different contingencies. Implications for researchers, practitioners, and public policy officials are discussed and directions for research outlined.