Knowledge of consumer rights and unfair and deceptive practices: a comparison of older and younger consumers

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dc.contributor.authorJones, Pamela Blytheen
dc.contributor.committeechairGarman, E. Thomasen
dc.contributor.committeememberLichtman, Marilyn V.en
dc.contributor.committeememberLittlefield, James E.en
dc.contributor.committeememberPainter, Joseph G. Jr.en
dc.contributor.departmentHousing, Interior Design, and Resource Managementen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:31:11Zen
dc.date.adate2009-03-12en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:31:11Zen
dc.date.issued1990-04-15en
dc.date.rdate2009-03-12en
dc.date.sdate2009-03-12en
dc.description.abstractThe problem of this study was to measure older and younger consumers' knowledge or awareness of selected consumer rights and legal protections, and their perceptions of and experience with unfair and deceptive business practices. A 34-item instrument was developed and administered by telephone to a random sample of 1,305 consumers nationwide. The data were examined by analysis of frequencies, Chi-square, and analysis of variance. The findings revealed (p<.01) that consumer knowledge was related to the age and marital status of the respondent. Married consumers and consumers aged 25-49 were the most knowledgeable about the eight consumer laws and legal protections. Consumer experiences with unfair and deceptive business practices were related to age, marital status, and gender. Younger, married, and female consumers had experienced three or more of the unfair and deceptive business practices. Married consumers and consumers aged 25-74 are more perceptive than consumers aged 75 and over in correctly identifying a business practice as unfair or illegal. The gender of the respondent does not always influence their perceptions of whether or not a particular business practice is fair. Significant differences existed between the knowledge score means and the age and marital status of the respondent. Significant differences existed between the experience score means and the age, marital status, and gender of the respondent.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentxvi, 275 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-03122009-040846en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-03122009-040846/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/41486en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1990.J664.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 22751844en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1990.J664en
dc.subject.lcshConsumer protection -- Law and legislation -- United States -- Public opinionen
dc.subject.lcshConsumers -- United States -- Attitudesen
dc.titleKnowledge of consumer rights and unfair and deceptive practices: a comparison of older and younger consumersen
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineHousing, Interior Design, and Resource Managementen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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