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Predictors of consumption cutbacks in response to increased energy costs
Author(s) -
BERGER PEGGY S.,
DRENNEN NANCY HUNGERFORD
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of consumer studies and home economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.775
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1470-6431
pISSN - 0309-3891
DOI - 10.1111/j.1470-6431.1985.tb00454.x
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , energy consumption , economics , autonomous consumption , family income , demographic economics , goods and services , energy cost , measure (data warehouse) , labour economics , public economics , economic growth , environmental economics , economy , sociology , ecology , social science , aggregate expenditure , database , computer science , biology
Energy costs have increased at a more rapid rate than overall household costs in recent years. The effects of these increased costs upon families' consumption of goods and services, as measured by cutbacks in and across consumption categories and cutbacks in necessities, were studied in relation to three variables: (1) family income level; (2) perceived effect of energy cost changes upon life in the last five years (well‐off); and (3) belief that energv consumption could be reduced by one‐fourth in the next year. Family income level was significantly related in a negative direction to each measure of cutback in consumption. However, the well‐off measure explained a greater percentage of the variation in consumption cutback measures than did income level.