Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior, Summer 1974

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.