| Abstract: | 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. |
