bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association Between Market Price and Seller/Market Characteristics
Authors: GEISTFELD LOREN V. , KEY ROSEMARY J.
Published: July 2010

The extensive literature examining association between price and quality has generally not addressed the effect of seller/market characteristics on the association. This study is a first effort to explore the influence of seller/market characteristics on product price. One‐third of seller/market characteristics examined were found to significantly affect market price. This suggests that, when examining association between price and quality in a specific market, seller/market characteristics should be considered.
Robustness of an Intermittent Program of Comparative Retail Food Price Information
Authors: DAHLGRAN ROGER A. , LONGSTRETH MOLLY , FAMINOW MERLE D. , ACUNA KATHERINE
Published: July 2010

This study compares the distribution of food‐item market basket prices across stores and relative to a local newspaper retail food price report. Distributions of prices for market baskets comprised of national brands and cheapest alternative brands coincided closely with the intermittent retail food price report. This suggests that consumer organizations with limited resources can produce comparative food‐store price reports that provide useful information to consumers.
Spousal Ethical Justifications of Casino Gambling: A Psychometric Analysis
Authors: MASCARENHAS OSWALD A. J.
Published: July 2010

Spousal reactions to social costs and benefits of legalizing casino gambling in their city are converted to psychometric measures that reflect teleological and distributive‐justice related ethical assessments. Major findings indicate low teleological and distributive justifications of casino gambling among both spouses, particularly among wives. As expected, heavy casino gamblers score higher compared to light gamblers and nongamblers; the level of one's past betting and gambling involvement is found to predispose higher ethical justifications of local casinos. Social policy implications of findings are discussed.
Seafood Quality: Issues for Consumer Researchers
Authors: ANDERSON JOAN GRAY , ANDERSON JAMES L.
Published: July 2010

The benefits and risks of consuming seafood have received much media attention recently yet little research has been done in the area of seafood quality. This paper provides a background of the issues involved and proposes a research agenda for the study of consumers and seafood quality. Implications for public policy are drawn.
Small Claims Court: Factors Influencing a Successful Outcome for the Individual Plaintiff
Authors: BONNER PATRICIA A. , METZEN EDWARD J.
Published: July 2010

The purpose of this study is to ascertain the extent of individual plaintiff success in the trial stage of the small claims process and the impact of selected factors upon these favorable outcomes. Results of this study provide a basis for litigants and potential litigants to predict the outcome of the small claims trial. Of particular interest is the finding that litigant use of legal advice and representation in court is not a major factor in the outcome of a small claims court case. The results of this examination of the small claims court as it functions in Boone County, Missouri, suggest that, with the possible exception of plaintiff's gender, “justice is blind.”
Confidence Swindles of Older Consumers
Authors: FRIEDMAN MONROE
Published: July 2010

This article reports the principal findings of a 1990 national mail survey focusing on confidence swindles and their effects on older consumers (age 65 and over). The respondents were bunco investigators representing 331 local police departments in 39 states.

The survey findings provide information concerning the characteristics of confidence swindlers and their elder victims, as well as the characteristics of elders that are believed likely to attract swindlers. Also identified are the tactical approaches employed by swindlers, the financial losses most commonly realized by victims, the disposition of criminal cases involving confidence swindles of elders, the changes in number and type of cases most commonly experienced in the recent past, and the patterns likely to prevail in the future. Limitations of the study are noted and implications of the findings are drawn for policy‐makers and practitioners.
Understanding Needs and Concerns of the Elderly Regarding Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations
Authors: PRASAD V. KANTI , JAVALGI RAJSHEKHAR G.
Published: July 2010

Medicare beneficiaries, who currently receive health care under a fee‐for‐service system, present new challenges and opportunities for Medicare‐HMOs. Part of the challenge lies in discerning major need dimensions underlying the elderly's choice between standard Medicare and a Medicare‐HMO. Although Medicare‐HMOs have special features likely to be particularly beneficial to the elderly, they are not greeted without some disquietude. The paper focuses on identifying the major need dimensions and concerns of the elderly in choosing a Medicare‐HMO over the traditional fee‐for‐service Medicare system.
Selecting Pesticides and Nonchemical Alternatives: Green Thumbs' Rules of Thumb Decision Tools
Authors: GRIESHOP JAMES I. , STILES MARTHA C. , BONE PAMELA S.
Published: July 2010

This study of a sample of home gardeners indicates that rules of thumb, or heuristics, are used to select between chemical pesticides and nonchemical alternatives. Such rules of thumb serve to simplify otherwise complicated choice decisions. Heuristics commonly used to choose pesticides include how safe, effective, efficacious, and economical they are, whereas for alternative products consumers more often take into account convenience, efficiency, competency, and handiness. Generally, in an overall ranking of 24 individual choice attributes, pesticies rank low on these attributes where alternatives rank high and vice versa. Gender, age, and years using pesticides are significantly correlated with pesticide selection.
Consumer Access to Health Care: Basic Right 21st Century Challenge
Authors: LECTURE COLSTON E. WARNE , JONES MARY GARDINER
Published: July 2010

Today, this country is confronting a crisis in health care of broad and critical dimensions. Dwarfing all others is the issue of the consumer's right to affordable quality comprehensive health care. This paper deals first with the dimension of the health care crisis confronting this country. It considers the major proposals for health care reform. Finally, it examines the role of the consumer movement and of American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI) in ensuring that the consumer's interest is protected in the current debate on how best to provide equitable and affordable health care to all Americans without regard to the individual's ability to pay.
Factors Affecting Borrower Choice Between Fixed and Adjustable Rate Mortgages
Authors: LINO MARK
Published: July 2010

For this study, data were collected from 352 mortgage borrowers to determine whether mortgage decisions are economically rational with regard to the type of mortgage believed to have the higher expected cost, and how various factors affect mortgage choice. For many borrowers, the type of mortgage with actual higher expected cost (based on interest rates and residency expectations) is not the type of mortgage thought to have the higher expected cost. The financial planning aspect of a mortgage choice and the risk factor have a significant influence on this choice, whereas lender constraints and the financial cost aspect do not. These findings suggest that consumer education programs focusing on mortgage choice are needed.
Incorporating Subsistence into Hedonic Price and Nutrient Demand Equations
Authors: COOK CHRISTANNA M. , EASTWOOD DAVID B.
Published: July 2010

The characteristics model of consumer choice is modified to accommodate subsistence. Implications of the model for evaluation of the hedonic price equations and nutrient demand equations are explored. The new model is tested using the 1977–1978 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey.
Financing of College Education by Minority and White Families
Authors: CHURAMAN CHARLOTTE V.
Published: July 2010

Characteristics of students, their families, and their college enrollment were compared for Native Americans, Asians, blacks, Hispanics, and whites, using data from the 1987 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study. Analysis of the factors explaining the differences in parental contributions accounted for 21 percent of the variance and showed minority or white status to be a significant predictor after controlling for differences in schools, family types, financial aid, and student contribution to their expenses.
Investigation of the Effects of Disclosure Statements in Rental Car Advertisements
Authors: MURPHY JOHN H. , RICHARDS JEF I.
Published: July 2010

State attorneys general recently proposed mandatory disclosures for rental car advertising. This study investigates the effects of alternate disclosure statements on consumers' beliefs. The results suggest that a shorter disclosure statement may be as effective as the one proposed.
Hedonic Analysis of Reliability and Safety for New Automobiles
Authors: ASHER CHERYL CARLETON
Published: July 2010

This paper investigates the pricing of reliability and safety in the new automobile market to determine how well that market works under imperfect information. This study utilizes actual transaction prices for new automobiles and overcomes, through the use of principal components, some of the multicollinearity problems present in earlier studies.
Effect of Thermal Improvements in Housing on Residential Energy Demand
Authors: HSUEH LI‐MIN , GERNER JENNIFER L.
Published: July 2010

Many estimates of the savings resulting from energy conserving modifications to a house do not take into account the role that such modifications play in the production of house warmth. Consumers can be expected to take some of these savings in increased house warmth as well as in lower demand for residential energy. The model estimated in this paper shows that when this effect is accounted for savings in energy due to energy conserving modifications are considerably less than anticipated without this effect.
Media Advocacy: A Case Study of Philip Sokolof's Cholesterol Awareness Campaigns
Authors: ADAMS RONALD J. , JENNINGS KENNETH M.
Published: July 2010

Elevated blood cholesterol has been identified as a major causal factor underlying heart disease. Through effective use of the mass media, Philip Sokolof was instrumental in increasing cholesterol awareness, forcing major changes in the food industry, and facilitating the passage of tough, new food labeling legislation. Drawing on a variety of published sources and a personal interview with Mr. Sokolof, this article describes his efforts to use the mass media to promote change in the public health domain.
Using Coupon Incentives in Recycling Aluminum: A Market Approach to Energy Conservation Policy
Authors: ALLEN JEFF , DAVIS DUANE , SOSKIN MARK
Published: July 2010

A field experiment was conducted on a stratified sample of 354 recyclers and nonrecyclers to test the effects of coupon incentives on consumers' intentions and behavior in recycling aluminum. Results indicate that modest coupon incentives positively influenced recyclers' behavior, but did not influence nonrecyclers. Over the range of incentives tested, evidence suggests that increased recycling frequency is directly related to the coupon value. Implications for incorporating coupon promotional programs into the development of energy conservation policy, and areas for future research are discussed.
Public Policy Issues in the Marketing of Seals of Approval for Food
Authors: BENNETT JAMES T. , McCROHAN KEVIN F.
Published: July 2010

Seals of approval have been part of the competitive environment for decades and, properly used, aid consumers by substituting unbiased professional expertise for consumers' lack of knowledge regarding product claims. This paper analyzes use of seals of approval as fund‐raising and competitive devices to determine if seals of approval for food offer the same public good as product endorsements. The authors conclude that seals of approval for food, as exemplified by the American Heart Association's HeartGuide Seal, may not be in the best interests of consumers.
The Beauty Myth and Female Consumers: The Controversial Role of Advertising
Authors: STEPHENS DEBRA LYNN , HILL RONALD PAUL , HANSON CYNTHIA
Published: July 2010

Recently, a small number of consumer researchers have voiced concern regarding the question of how and to what degree advertising involving thin/attractive endorsers is linked with chronic dieting, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders in American females. To explore the broader context of this important and controversial issue, this paper draws upon a variety of disciplines and suggests directions for future research. First is a discussion of problems associated with chronic dieting and the diet industry. Next is an exploration of the prevalence, concomitants, and origins of body dissatisfaction in American females. The paper discusses existing advertising research that gives rise to several important propositions regarding the nature of the link between advertising and body dissatisfaction. The conculsion consists of recommendations for research and a brief discussion of public policy implications.
Family Food Shopping: Strategies Used by Husbands and Wives
Authors: POLEGATO ROSEMARY , ZAICHKOWSKY JUDITH L.
Published: July 2010

This research explored comparisons between matched pairs of husbands and wives on a system of strategies used to do family food shopping. Generally, husbands and wives were similar in strategies which related to time management, store loyalty, and in‐store shopping. There were notable anomalies in the conceptualization of some of the strategies, as well as significant differences in the use of task management strategies to prepare for food shopping and in the importance of various store characteristics. Suggestions for research are based on extending the role theory and systems approach in studying family food shopping.
Ethics in Advertising Decisionmaking: Implications for Reducing the Incidence of Deceptive Advertising
Authors: DAVIS JOEL J.
Published: July 2010

A survey of 206 advertising professionals assessed the relative influence of four factors (ethics, legal considerations, business considerations, and anticipated approval of management/peers) on decision‐making about advertising content and policy. Most professionals were influenced only by legal considerations; ethics exerted a relatively minor role. Age and length of professional experience were related to the factor that exerted the dominant influence on an individual's decisionmaking. Those who were youngest and had least professional experience were most influenced by business considerations. Professionals who were slightly older with slightly more experience were most influenced by legal considerations. Finally, those professionals who were the oldest and had the most experience were primarily influenced by ethical considerations. The results are used as basis for identifying specific actions in professional training, advertising agency management, and advertising regulation which have potential to reduce the incidence of deceptive advertising.
Economics of Automobile Leasing: The Call Option Value
Authors: MILLER STEPHEN E.
Published: July 2010

Previous analyses of the automobile lease versus purchase decision have ignored the value of the call option embedded in closed‐end leases with guaranteed buy back provisions. This paper shows that ignoring the value of this call option results in a bias against leasing in the lease versus purchase decision. Supporting evidence is provided by an empirical model of automobile lease rates.
Consumer Comprehension of Environmental Advertising and Labeling Claims
Authors: MORRIS LOUIS A. , HASTAK MANOJ , MAZIS MICHAEL B.
Published: July 2010

Two national surveys, with a total of 2,004 respondents, were conducted to examine comprehension of the terms “recycled” and “recyclable.” Only about five percent of respondents exhibited a thorough understanding of “recycled” and “recyclable” consistent with EPA and FTC definitions. Moreover, respondents displayed a limited understanding of “pre‐consumer waste,” assumed a high percentage of recycled content in products labeled “recycled,” and inferred widespread availability of recycling facilities whenever a “recyclable” claim was made. Less educated and lower income respondents displayed higher levels of miscomprehension than more advantaged respondents. These results suggest the need for regulation of environmental advertising and labeling claims and for consumer education.
Risk‐Benefit Analysis of Cigarette Smoking: Public Policy Implications
Authors: DARDIS RACHEL , KEANE THOMAS
Published: July 2010

The objective of this study is to investigate the internal risks and benefits from smoking over the lifetime of a male individual. It differs from many earlier studies in that it focuses on the costs borne by the individual, as opposed to external or societal costs. It also includes the benefits from smoking which play an important role in the individual's smoking decision. Risk‐benefit ratios range from 0.25 to 3.67 depending on the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes, the discount or time preference rate, the value of a life year, and the price elasticity of demand for cigarettes.
Determinants of Search for Nondurable Goods: An Empirical Assessment of the Economics of Information Theory
Authors: AVERY ROSEMARY J.
Published: July 2010

This paper examines the usefulness of Stigler's (1961) Economics of Information Theory in the study of consumer search in a market for frequently purchased, nondurable grocery items. The empirical model examines antecedent (pre‐store) and point of purchase (in‐store) search. It incorporates and contrasts economic incentives for search with noneconomic involvement‐based motivations and perceived versus actual costs associated with search. Data used in the analysis were collected in a large midwestern city during 1990. Results indicate that Stigler's cost‐benefit model provides a better fit for pre‐store rather than in‐store search activities. Pre‐store search activities were found to be driven by time, monetary, and mobility constraints. Pre‐store search activity was not found to be significant in explaining in‐store search activities. In‐store search activities were significantly explained by only household size. Shopping involvement was not found to be related to pre‐ or in‐store activities. A comparison of objective and subjective measures of search costs rendered comparable results.
Consumer‐to‐Consumer Relationships: Satisfaction with Other Consumers' Public Behavior
Authors: MARTIN CHARLES L.
Published: July 2010

This national study of 554 adults investigated consumers' satisfaction with 32 behaviors in which other consumers may engage when in public business environments. Respondents were most pleased when other consumers demonstrated “gregarious” behaviors, but generally were displeased with “violent” or “grungy” behaviors. Satisfaction ratings also were found to vary somewhat by situational context (i.e., restaurant versus bowling center) and respondent characteristics (i.e., demographics, religion, smoking behavior, and alcohol consumption). Implications for consumers and businesses are discussed.
Retail Ethics as Appraised by Future Business Personnel in Malaysia and the United States
Authors: BURNS DAVID J. , BRADY JOHN T.
Published: July 2010

Differences in ethical perceptions among individuals from varying cultures have been suggested as a source of concern for business firms involved in global activities. This study investigates a hypothesis based on the writings of Thorelli, that “lower” ethical perceptions exist among the residents of developing nations. This was accomplished by investigating the retail ethical perceptions of business students from a developing nation and comparing these perceptions with those of business students from a developed nation. The results suggest the retail ethical perceptions of students from different cultures attending collegiate institutions in their home countries differ, supporting the hypothesis. Implications are explored.
Effect of Preparation Time on the Minimum‐Cost Diet
Authors: LEUNG PINGSUN , MIKLIUS WALTER , WANITPRAPHA KULAVIT , QUINN LYNNE A.
Published: July 2010

The implications on a minimum‐cost diet of introducing meal preparation time are explored using a multiple criteria framework. Using a bicriterion method, the tradeoff between the money cost of home‐cooked meals and the meal preparation time is empirically estimated with a set of 895 recipes popular in Hawaii. There is a clear tradeoff between cost and time in preparing home‐cooked meals, and it is found that the minimum‐cost diet is very sensitive to the meal pre‐parer's value of time.
Determinants of the Demand for Home Equity Credit Lines
Authors: SALANDRO DAN , HARRISON WILLIAM B.
Published: July 2010

From the Survey of Consumer Finances conducted in 1989 and 1992 a logit model was tested for demographic and financial influences on household decisions to utilize home equity line credit. Results indicate that among households with credit lines other than credit card lines or business lines, the choice of a home equity credit line in lieu of another type of check credit line is influenced principally by percentage of equity in the home, income, net worth, age of the borrower, and credit price. Several implications may be derived from this study. As the markets reflect more complete information about the low‐risk attributes of this credit, the convenience as a payment mechanism, and the tax subsidy to homeowners, it is expected that home equity credit lines users will be distributed more evenly across income and wealth categories.
Consumption Patterns Among the Young‐Old and Old‐Old
Authors: ABDEL‐GHANY MOHAMED , SHARPE DEANNA L.
Published: July 2010

Data on 2,810 elderly households were drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 1990 Consumer Expenditure Survey. Multivariate Tobit analysis was used to examine spending pattern differences between households with a reference person aged 65–74 (young‐old) and households with a reference person aged 75 and older (old‐old). Significant differences in spending were found for expenditures on food at home, food away from home, alcohol and tobacco, housing, apparel and apparel services, transportation, bealthcare, bentertainment, personal care, and personal insurance. The impact of socio‐demographic factors on expenditures by either age group was not uniform.
Consumers' Use of Nutritional Labels While Food Shopping and At Home
Authors: NAYGA RODOLFO M. , LIPINSKI DARIA , SAVUR NITIN
Published: July 2010

This study examines the impact of sociodemographic and nutrition/health related factors on consumers' use of nutritional labels while food shopping, at home, and when comparing nutrients for different brands of the same foods. The results generally suggest that unemployed individuals and those who place greater importance on nutrition while shopping and following the dietary guidelines are more likely to use nutritional labels while shopping, at home, or when comparing brands. Findings also indicate that education has a positive impact on the likelihood of using labels at home. The amount of time a consumer spends on shopping, primary source of nutritional information, special diet status, and consumer's perception of the importance of price and taste when shopping are also significant factors.
Compulsive Buying Among College Students: An Investigation of Its Antedecents, Consequences, and Implications for Public Policy
Authors: ROBERTS JAMES A.
Published: July 2010

This study is an investigation of the incidence, antecedents, consequences, and public policy implications of compulsive buying among college students, a segment of the 44 million Americans born between 1965 and 1976, known as the Baby Bust generation. Previous research involving a broader range of adult consumers resulted in estimates of one to six percent classified as compulsive, buyers. Using Faber and O'Guinn's (1992) clinical screener for compulsive buying, six percent of the college students sampled were classified as compulsive buyers, thus indicating the need for better understanding of compulsive buying behavior in this segment of the Baby Bust generation. Various contributing factors, including familial, psychological, sociological, and demographic influences, are detailed. Of particular interest is the relationship between credit card use and compulsive buying. Implications for consumer policy are discussed, and suggestions for research are offered.
The Process of Becoming Homeless: An Investigation of Female‐Headed Families Living in Poverty
Authors: WASSON RENYA REED , HILL RONALD PAUL
Published: July 2010

Homelessness is modeled as a three‐state process in which female‐headed families move between primary residency in their own homes (residence) to doubling‐up in other families' homes (doubling‐up) and finally to homeless shelters (shelter). The most important explanatory factors for families in residence are rent/income variables, while the most important factors for families doubling‐up pertain to sharing difficulties. The results support early intervention in the homelessness process as an important public policy goal.
The Effects of Activity and Aging on Rural Community Living and Consuming
Authors: MILLER NANCY J. , KIM SOYOUNG , SCHOFIELD‐TOMSCHIN SHERRY
Published: July 2010

Effects of social activity and aging on variables related to individual motivations, community membership, and consumer behavior were tested for 287 late middle‐age and 343 elderly respondents living in three rural communities. Those actively involved were more satisfied with aspects of the community than their less active counterparts, and they expressed stronger intentions to shop with local retailers (inshopping). Klderly respondents were more satisfied with their community, and had higher inshopping levels than the late middle‐age respondents. Findings suggest an “embeddedness” of market place activity in the social networks of the rural communities. The number and purchasing power of older persons offer opportunities to rural businesses who are alert to the concerns and unmet needs of these consumers.
Consumer Risk Perception Profiles Regarding Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rbGH)
Authors: GROBE DEANA , DOUTHITT ROBIN , ZEPEDA LYDIA
Published: July 2010

This study examines individual differences in risk perception typologies, specifically for recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH). Results indicate diverse consumer profiles across risk perception categories. Awareness of rbGH is significantly affected by education and ethnicity. Risk perceptions concerning rbGH are significantly affected by age, gender, and education. Self‐protective behavior is significantly affected by household size and identification with environmental groups. Identifying and understanding these profiles would enable risk communicators to design more effective risk communication strategies.
Constraints, Domain Conditions, and Well‐Being: Evidence from Poland during the Transformation
Authors: WINTER MARY , MORRIS EARL W. , GUTKOWSKA KRYSTYNA , JEZEWSKA‐ZYCHOWICZ MARZENA , PALASZEWSKA‐REINDL TERESA , ZELAZNA KRYSTYNA , GRZESZCZAK‐SWIETLIKOWSKA URSZULA
Published: July 2010

The relationships among the recent changes in socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the household, domain conditions (objective well‐being), and the household members' assessment of their situation (subjective well‐being) are assessed with data from 600 households in the province of Lublin, Poland. Four domains are included in the measures of recent change, domain conditions, and well‐being: housing, household equipment, food consumption, and transportation. As expected, domain conditions are a function of household constraints; well‐being is a function of domain conditions and recent change. Rural residents have significantly poorer domain conditions than urban residents, but report significantly higher levels of well‐being.
Budget Allocation Patterns of African Americans
Authors: FAN JESSIE X. , LEWIS JOAN KOONCE
Published: July 2010

The Consumer Expenditure Survey (1980–1992), Consumer Price Index (1980–1992), and ACCRA Cost of Living Index (1990) are used to construct annual household expenditure data from 1980 to 1992 to compare household budget allocation patterns of African Americans to Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans, and Hispanic Americans. Using the LA/AIDS demand system, researchers found that African American households have statistically significantly different budget allocation patterns in more than half of the 13 expenditure categories investigated in this study, after controlling for other socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
Academics and Advocates: Using Participatory Action Research to Influence Welfare Policy
Authors: QUOSS BERNITA , COONEY MARGARET , LONGHURST TERRI
Published: July 2010

University students on welfare, working with academic researchers, successfully lobbied for a state policy in Wyoming to define postsecondary education as work under the 1996 welfare reform law. This article describes the researchers’ use of participatory action research (PAR) in the policy arena. Consumer researchers are encouraged to consider using PAR to help make postsecondary education more available to low‐income parents. New PAR studies could assist low‐income consumers in analyzing the use of surplus welfare funds and new federal regulations, which now make postsecondary education a more viable option for state welfare reform policies.
Differences in Spending Habits and Credit Use of College Students
Authors: HAYHOE CELIA RAY , LEACH LAUREN J. , TURNER PAMELA R. , BRUIN MARILYN J. , LAWRENCE FRANCES C.
Published: July 2010

In a study of college students, affective credit attitude (feeling about using credit cards) and gender influenced college students' credit purchasing. Affective credit attitude predicted the purchase of clothing, electronics, entertainment, travel, gasoline, and food away from home. Females purchased clothing; males purchased electronics, entertainment, and food away from home. Gender was more influential in predicting financial management practices than was affective credit attitude, with female students employing a greater number of financial practices. A path analysis model showed gender differences in the relationship between financial practices, financial stress, affective credit attitude, and the number of credit cards with a balance.
The Moderating Effect of Seasonality on Household Apparel Expenditure
Authors: WAGNER JANET , MOKHTARI MANOUCHEHR
Published: July 2010

This research explores if and how seasonality moderates the effect of consumer characteristics on household per capita expenditure for apparel. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis was based on quarterly micropanel data from the Continuing Consumer Expenditure Survey. The results confirmed that seasonality moderates the relationship between consumer characteristics and per capita apparel expenditure: the income elasticity of apparel expenditure varied by season as did the effects of age, ethnicity, household size, region, and housing tenure.
Willingness to Pay for Information: An Analyst's Guide
Authors: LEE KYUNG HEE , HATCHER CHARLES B.
Published: July 2010

This paper defines, illustrates, and critiques the different ways in which researchers have contemplated and estimated a consumer's willingness to pay for a particular attribute of a good or service. In particular, the authors are interested in exploring the apparent difficulty in measuring willingness to pay for information. It becomes more complicated to measure the value of having information when the actual information influences demand in its own right. This implies that information such as food dating is likely to be underproduced in a free market, even less than it is given the public goods aspect of the attribute. It also means that the bias in measuring willingness to pay will depend on whether the attribute in question adds value to the good.
Are Two Incomes Needed to Prosper Today? Evidence from the 1960s to the 1990s
Authors: WALDEN MICHAEL L.
Published: July 2010

Consumer Expenditure Survey data from 1960 to 1996 are used to examine trends in real consumption, real after‐tax income, market work time, and real after‐tax wages for single‐earner and dual‐earner households. Over the entire time period, most households experienced substantial improvements in measures of their prosperity. However, economic progress was considerably reduced when the comparison was from 1972 to 1996. Also, wage changes dominated changes in market work time over all time periods.
Does Vanity Describe Other Cultures? A Cross‐Cultural Examination of the Vanity Scale
Authors: DURVASULA SRINIVAS , LYSONSKI STEVEN , WATSON JOHN
Published: July 2010

Vanity is a psychological construct that describes a person's excessive concern with physical appearance or achievement. A scale, recently developed to measure this construct, has been psychometrically validated using data from U.S. respondents. The goal of this paper is to determine if this scale can be used cross‐culturally. If the scale has cross‐cultural applicability, it can be used as a counseling device to guide and alert individuals to certain tendencies. The scale also can be used to track foreign cultures as they adopt a consumerism ethos more aligned to Western consumer culture. Based on data from 475 young adults in China, India, New Zealand, and the U.S., the scale was found to have similar dimensionality and factor structure, internal consistency, discriminant validity, and metric invariance. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Attitude toward Risk and Risk‐Taking Behavior of Business‐Owning Families
Authors: XIAO JING J. , ALHABEEB M. J. , HONG GONG‐SOOG , HAYNES GEORGE W.
Published: July 2010

Using data from the 1995 Survey of Consumer Finances, this study found that family business owners are more risk tolerant than nonowners. Among family business owners, age, race, net worth, and the number of employees in the business affect risk‐taking attitudes and behavior. In addition, the following factors are associated with risk‐taking behaviors: number of years of ownership, gross sales, who started the business, and sole proprietorship. Education influences risk‐taking attitudes.
Food Label Use, Self‐Selectivity, and Diet Quality
Authors: KIM SUNG‐YONG , NAYGA RODOLFO M. , CAPPS ORAL
Published: July 2010

Food labels provide measurable benefits by improving diet quality of Americans by as much as four to six points on a 100‐point Healthy Eating Index scale. Among nutritional panels, serving sizes, nutrient content claims, list of ingredients, and health claims, the use of health claims on food labels provides the highest level of improvement in diet quality. The data source for this analysis is the 1994 to 1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes for Individuals (CSFII) and the accompanying Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS).
The U.S./EU Beef Controversy and a Proposed Framework for Resolving Standards Disputes in International Trade
Authors: TAYLOR CHARLES R. , WALSH MICHAEL G. , LEE CHRISTOPHER
Published: July 2010

While world trading institutions such as GATT and its successor, the WTO, have made significant progress in addressing tariff barriers as well as some non‐tariff barriers, trade disputes over product standards appear to be increasing in number and intensity. Product standards refer to measures governments take to ensure that products sold in their home market meet health, safety, and quality requirements consistent with the public interest. The longstanding controversy between the European Union and the United States over the export of hormone treated beef is used as a case study to illustrate the difficulty of resolving product standards disputes.
Diet Choice and the Role of Time Preference
Authors: HUSTON SANDRA J. , FINKE MICHAEL S.
Published: July 2010

Economic theory related to time preference and health may be useful as a means of understanding the predictors of diet choice. The willingness to subvert present for future utility is hypothesized to influence the process of sacrificing time, flavor, convenience, and price in order to choose a healthful diet. Empirical results confirm the unique importance of variables related to rate of future discounting versus variables associated with market or cultural factors.
Diagnostic Screener for Compulsive Buying: Applications to the USA and South Korea
Authors: KWAK HYOKJIN , ZINKHAN GEORGE M. , CRASK MELVIN R.
Published: July 2010

Compulsive behavior is an important topic for social scientists. One form of this behavior is compulsive buying. Using data sets from two countries, the USA and South Korea, the Diagnostic Screener for Compulsive Buying (DSCB) (Faber and O'Guinn 1992) is tested with specific emphasis on the scale's cross‐cultural transferability. We find evidence that the DSCB is unidimensional in the USA and bi‐dimensional in South Korea, suggesting a lack of transferability. Potential cultural reasons for the findings are discussed in detail as well as the implications for public policy and future research.
Who Pays for Credit Cards?
Authors: CHAKRAVORTI SUJIT , EMMONS WILLIAM R.
Published: July 2010

The authors model side payments in a competitive credit‐card market. If competitive retailers absorb the cost of accepting credit cards by charging a higher goods price to everyone, then someone must subsidize convenience users of credit cards to prevent them from defecting to merchants who do not accept cards. The side payment could be financed by card users who roll over balances and pay interest. It is rational for them to do so if their subjective discount rates are high enough. Charging different prices to different customers based on the underlying cost of the payment instrument would be more efficient for retailers. However, banks may offer incentives to attract convenience users because some of them may become interest‐paying users (“revolvers”) in the future.
How Credit Access Has Changed Over Time for U.S. Households
Authors: LYONS ANGELA C.
Published: July 2010

The financial industry made a number of efforts throughout the 1990s to provide additional borrowing opportunities to households traditionally constrained by the credit markets. Using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), this study investigates the degree to which household liquidity constraints relaxed between 1983 and 1998. The gap between actual and desired borrowing is estimated. The findings indicate that the ability of all households to obtain their desired debt levels increased after 1983 and most dramatically between 1992 and 1998. The findings hold true across all households regardless of permanent earnings, age, gender, or race. Those experiencing the greatest gains in credit access were black households and households with low permanent earnings.
A Two‐Step Estimation of Consumer Adoption of Technology‐Based Service Innovations
Authors: LEE EUN‐JU , LEE JINKOOK , EASTWOOD DAVID
Published: July 2010

Firms initially offer new technology‐based services to a limited number of customers to reduce risks and maximize their returns on the investments in the new technology. Consequently, consumers’ adoption of new technology‐based services is restricted by the limited access provided by the businesses. A model of consumer adoption was developed and estimated via a two‐step procedure. A significant sample selection bias was found with regard to access when estimating consumer adoption of a relatively new innovation, computer banking, but no such bias was found for a mature innovation, ATMs.
The Prevalence of Sexual Imagery in Ads Targeted to Young Adults
Authors: REICHERT TOM
Published: July 2010

To determine if advertisers use sexual imagery to appeal to youth, 2,863 ads in magazines read by young and mature adults were compared. Results indicate that ads targeted to young adults were 65% more likely to contain provocatively dressed models and 128% more likely to contain sexual behavior than those for mature adults. In the ads for young adults, female models were 3.7 times more likely to be portrayed sexually than were male models. The findings suggest that advertisers use sexual imagery, primarily by means of female models, to appeal to young audiences. Education and consumer action implications are discussed.
Stopping Identity Theft
Authors: SOVERN JEFF
Published: July 2010

Each year, millions of consumers are victimized by identity theft—the practice of using the identity of another to obtain credit. After the identity thief defaults, lenders and credit bureaus attribute the default to the impersonated consumer. The article draws on the traditional loss allocation rules of the common law to suggest ways to reduce the incidence of identity theft. Lenders and credit bureaus do not at present have a sufficient incentive to avoid attributing the acts of identity thieves to consumers. The piece argues that consumers should have a claim against creditors and credit bureaus for including the transactions of identity thieves in reports on impersonated consumers. That would give the credit industry—the entity that can avoid the losses at the lowest cost—an incentive to take steps to prevent identity theft. Finally, the article briefly reviews current law and suggests some implications for public policy.
The Role of Organizations in Identity Theft Response: The Organization–Individual Victim Dynamic
Authors: LACEY DAVID , CUGANESAN SURESH
Published: July 2010

This study considers the role of organizations in relation to identity theft from three perspectives: as a site of identity use (and misuse), as detectors of identity theft, and ultimately, as a site where a fundamental social imperative exists to ensure responsible action is taken to address this form of criminality. Through investigating the organizational–individual victim dynamic, this article examines how organizations react to the possibilities of identity fraud and draws out the implications of this for individual consumers in scenarios of identity theft. The evidence presented leads to a critical examination of the issues confronting organizations in seeking to anticipate and respond to these criminal acts.
The Impact of Retirement on Household Leisure Expenditures
Authors: WEAGLEY ROBERT O. , HUH EUNJEONG
Published: July 2010

Household leisure expenditures for retired and near‐retired households were examined in order to better understand the dynamics associated with the move to retirement status. Data from the 1995 Consumer Expenditure Survey indicated that retirement, total expenditures, and education had positive impacts on leisure expenditures. For retired households, greater total expenditures and education increased expenditures, while age and the presence of earned income decreased expenditures. For near‐retired households, greater total expenditures, education, and the presence of asset income significantly increased leisure expenditures.
Decision Making by Low‐Literacy Consumers in the Presence of Point‐of‐Purchase Information
Authors: JAE HAERAN , DELVECCHIO DEVON
Published: July 2010

Low‐literacy consumers face disadvantages when making product choices. This article presents the results of two studies designed to explore differences in decision‐making behavior across consumer literacy levels, focusing on consumers’ ability to evaluate information in print ads and product packaging. The authors demonstrate that the presence of a visual decision aid at the point of purchase can improve choice for low‐literacy consumers.
Do people with disabilities believe the ADA has served their consumer interests?
Authors: Kaufman‐Scarborough Carol , Menzel Baker Stacey
Published: July 2010

In recent years, numerous changes in the retail sector have been made to create accessibility for people with disabilities and to establish compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This paper examines the responses of 1,000 people with disabilities taken from the 1998 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities. These data enable us to examine whether the consumer interests of people with disabilities have been served by this legislation from the perspective of the people whom the law was designed to protect. The findings indicate that (1) respondents who are aware of the ADA are significantly more likely than those unaware of the ADA to believe that things have gotten better since the enactment of the ADA; however, a clear majority of those who are aware still believe that the ADA has made no difference; (2) respondents believe perceived access is related to disabilities and to environmental factors; (3) respondents who perceive fewer access problems spend more time in the marketplace; and (4) greater life satisfaction is related to greater perceptions of marketplace access and more frequent participation in the marketplace. In general, the results show that respondents believe their consumer interests have been served by the ADA, but the results also show there is more to be done.
Georg Christoph Lichtenberg als Philosoph
Authors: von Wright. G. H.
Published: July 2010

Lichtenbergs Schriften können wir uns als der wunderbarsten Wünschelrute be‐dienen; wo er einen Spass macht, liegt ein Problem verborgen.
Ontologically speaking, things are …
Authors: ALLAIRE EDWIN B.
Published: July 2010

In the first place … it will be necessary to explain what an individual substance is. It is indeed true that when several predicates are attributes of a single subject and this subject is not an attribute of another, we speak of it as an individual substance, but this is not enough, and such an explanation is merely nominal. We must therefore inquire what it is to be an attribute in reality of a certain subject.

‘What is a Thing (substance)?’ expresses two quite different problems. One belongs to ontology, the other to categorial analysis.
Relation and object in Plato's approach to knowledge
Authors: BALABAN ODED
Published: July 2010

THE aim of this paper is to explain a paradox in Plato's philosophy. On the one hand, Plato reduces virtue to knowledge; on the other, he rejects the possibility of knowledge or at least has serious doubts that it exists. I shall propose in this paper that the definition of virtue as knowledge is a logical outcome of Plato's denial of the particular aspect of knowledge as cognitive relation. This paper may also be considered as an attempt to resolve the Hintikka‐Santas polemic about whether there is a difference in Plato's philosophy between the function of knowledge and its object. ([3], [6] pp. 1–71).

The first part of this paper consists in a critical exposition of Plato's rejection of cognitive relation as a function of knowledge. The second part is devoted to an account of Plato's assumptions in this regard. In the third section of the paper I shall show how, on the basis of these assumptions, Plato reduces virtue to knowledge. And finally, in the last section of the essay, I shall compare my interpretation of this issue with other modern interpretations, especially those of Gerasimos Santas and Jaakko Hintikka.
Review
Authors: Crisp Roger , Halldén Sören , Tännsjö Torbjörn
Published: July 2010

Jeffrey Reiman, Justice and Modern Moral Philosophy, New Haven and London

Evan Fales, Causation and Universals. London and New York: Routledge

David Lamb, Organ Transplants and Ethics. London and New York: Routledge, 1990.
Reviews
Authors: Gjelsvik Olav
Published: July 2010

JAN ODELSTAD: Invariance and Structural Dependence.