DOI: 10.3886/icpsr07478
title: Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior, Summer 1974
title: Archival Version

description: The Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior series (also known as the Surveys of Consumers) was undertaken to measure changes in consumer attitudes and expectations, to understand why such changes occur, and to evaluate how they relate to consumer decisions to save, borrow, or make discretionary purchases. The data regularly include the Index of Consumer Sentiment, the Index of Current Economic Conditions, and the Index of Consumer Expectations. Since the 1940s, these surveys have been produced quarterly through 1977 and monthly thereafter. The surveys conducted in 1974 focused on topics such as evaluations and expectations about personal finances, employment, price changes, and the national business situation. Opinions were collected regarding respondents' appraisals of present market conditions for purchasing houses, automobiles, computers, and other durables. Also explored in this survey, were respondents' types of savings and financial investments, loan use, family income, and retirement planning. This survey was undertaken to assess consumer sentiment and buying plans. Open-ended questions were asked concerning evaluations and expectations about personal finances, employment, recession, price changes, and the national business situation. Additional variables probe respondents' buying intentions for a house, automobiles, appliances, and other consumer durables, and the respondents' appraisals of present market conditions for purchasing houses and other durables. Other variables probe respondents' opinions of government, government price controls, government spending, bureaucrats, income tax filing and returns, and the relative merits of new and old small cars, as well as their financial status relative to the previous year. Information is also provided on respondents' choice of presidential candidate in the 1972 election, stock ownership and other forms of investment, car ownership and the cost, make and use of it, their spending plans for their income tax refunds, and savings. Demographic variables provide information on respondents' age, sex, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, occupation, employment status, and family income.
description: The purpose of this survey series is to forecast changes in aggregate consumer behavior.
description: The following weight variables can be found in the data: V556 'HEAD AND WIFE WEIGHTS' V557 'PHONE WEIGHTS' V558 'HAND W PHONE WEIGHTS' V310 '2028 HD AND WIFE WEIGHT 44' V479 'HEAD AND WIFE WEIGHTS'
description: One respondent from each family unit in the dwellings sampled, usually the head of the family, or the wife. The dwelling units were selected by area probability sampling from 74 primary sampling units. For each dwelling unit in the sample, an interview was sought with a respondent from the primary family and from each secondary family (if any). The head of the family (usually the husband) was the preferred respondent, but the wife could substitute if the head was not readily available.
description: Datasets: DS1: Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior, Summer 1974
description: Persons aged 18 years or older living in households with telephones within the coterminous United States. Smallest Geographic Unit: Region
description: telephone interviewAdditional information on the Surveys of Consumers can be found by visiting the Surveys of Consumers Website.