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Conceptualization and Measurement of Perceived Consumer Knowledge and Skills in Apparel Products: An Exploratory Study among College Students
Author(s) -
Shim Soyeon,
Dubey Smita
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
family and consumer sciences research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.372
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1552-3934
pISSN - 1077-727X
DOI - 10.1177/1077727x95233001
Subject(s) - lisrel , confirmatory factor analysis , conceptualization , psychology , exploratory factor analysis , structural equation modeling , clothing , knowledge management , applied psychology , psychometrics , computer science , statistics , mathematics , developmental psychology , artificial intelligence , archaeology , history
The objectives of this exploratory study were to delineate dimensions of perceived consumer knowledge and skills in apparel products and to conceptualize these dimensions by developing and testing a measurement model using LISREL confirmatory factor analysis. Based on a sample (N = 574) of college students, a 56‐item perceived consumer knowledge and skill inventory initially revealed 10 interpretable factors. These 10 factors were factored again, revealing three conceptual constructs that served as a basis for the development of a confirmatory factor analysis measurement model. The LISREL confirmatory factor analysis on the hypothesized measurement model revealed that (a) the four dimensions (Comparison Shopping Skills; Efficient, Value‐Oriented Shopping Skills; Shopping Planning Skills; and Information‐Gathering and Evaluation Skills) measure Efficient Shopping, (b) the two dimensions (e.g., Fabric Knowledge and Fashion Knowledge/Appearance Enhancement Skills) measure Product Knowledge, and (c) the three dimensions (Informed Consumers, Knowledge of Legal and Economic Consumer Issues, and Information Interpretation Skills) measure General Consumer Proficiency. It was concluded that perceived consumer knowledge and skills in apparel products were multidimensional and were conceptually classified into three main domains. Several implications for future studies are discussed.