This dissertation examined the relationship between marketing influence and life satisfaction for elderly consumers. Marketing influence was conceptually explored within the context of a consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction framework. As such, the construct labeled overall consumer satisfaction was developed and defined as an attitude state representing the specific level of fulfillment of wants or needs possessed by an individual gained from experiential interactions with marketing institutions. This attitude was posited to be made up of a sub-domain structure, with each sub-domain consisting of satisfactions derived from an individual's interactions with groups of similar retail institutions. The overall consumer satisfaction construct was operationally measured using indicators: a multiattribute scale and a semantic-differential scale. Life satisfaction was conceptually examined through the use of quality-of-life and gerontological theoretical perspectives and was defined as an aggregate well-being level or satisfaction-attitude state of an individual determined by a variety of personal and environmental influences. This construct was operationally measured through the use of three indicators, two scales adapted from the quality-of-life perspective and one scale adopted from the gerontological perspective. The two constructs, overall consumer satisfaction and life satisfaction, were conceptually linked using attitude-hierarchy theory. It was hypothesized that (1) overall consumer satisfaction is positively related to life satisfaction of the elderly, and (2) each marketing sub-domain involved in overall consumer satisfaction is positively related to life satisfaction of the elderly. A survey instrument was designed, pretested. and employed on a sample of southwestern Virginia elderly using a group interview data-collection procedure. The statistical techniques employed to analyze the data collected included: Pearson Product-Moment correlations, alpha-coefficient reliability analyses, Costner's Multiple Indicator consistency analysis. t-tests, canonical correlations. and multiple regression analyses. Generally, the hypotheses were moderately supported by the results. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the study's limitations. contributions, and implications as they related to marketing theory and managerial practice. / Ph. D.