Consumer credit knowledge of personal bankruptcy petitioners and sources used by the petitioners to gain consumer credit knowledge were investigated. Consumer credit knowledge was defined as any understanding which was found useful in solving problems related to consumer credit. Sources of consumer credit knowledge referred to classes taken, information which had been read, information heard on radio or television, and help received through personal counseling. Subjects were selected from individuals whose personal bankruptcy cases were heard in the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah during the month of July, 1958. The sample consisted of the first 90 petitioners who were willing to participate in the research project. Research data was obtained form three sources: (a) a consumer credit knowledge test, (b) a personal data questionnaire, and (c) the official bankruptcy petition. Results indicate that this group of personal bankruptcy petitioners had low consumer credit knowledge (60 percent or less) as measured by their response to questions on a consumer credit knowledge test. The petitioners had used a low number of sources (two or less) to gain consumer credit knowledge.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur kunskap och/eller självuppfattning påverkar individers kreditkonsumtion. För att besvara syftet genomfördes en kvalitativ innehållsanalys där 29 fall av det svenska TV-programmet Lyxfällan studerades. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkt grundar sig i IMB-modellen, där utgångspunkten är att självuppfattning och kunskap har en inverkan på individers kreditkonsumtion. Studiens huvudsakliga resultat visar på att kunskap och självuppfattning är något som i hög grad har en påverkan på individers kreditkonsumtion. Resultaten visar även att individer som skuldsatt sig på grund av onödig konsumtion hade en genomgående låg kunskapsnivå. Vidare kan vi se ett mönster där lyxkonsumtion i alla observerade fall motiverades av ett idealt- eller oönskat själv. Vi kan även se en förändring i beteendet hos de individer som slutade jaga en ideal självbild genom konsumtion. / This study aims to investigate how knowledge and / or self-perception affects credit consumption. Through a qualitative content analysis we have studied 29 cases of the Swedish TV show Lyxfällan. Our theoretical approach is based on the IMB model and that selfperception and knowledge have an impact on credit consumption. We came to the conclusion that knowledge and self-perception is something that to a large extent has an impact on credit consumption. Furthermore, we could see that individuals who lend money due to unnecessary consumption had a consistently low level of knowledge. Finally, we saw a pattern where luxury consumption in all observed cases was motivated by an ideal or dreaded self. We could also see a change in the behavior of the individuals who stopped chasing an ideal self-image through consumption. (This paper is written in Swedish).