A cognitive analysis of credit card acquisition and college student financial development

Researchers examined cognitions relevant to credit card decision making in college-aged participants (M = 19.9, n = 304). Measures of beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral alternatives (e.g., cash, checks, debit card) toward acquiring a credit card were assessed. Analyses of models predicting behavioral tendencies and attitudes toward the acquisition of a new credit card using LISREL VIII (Joreskog & Sorbom 1993) identified a multivariate model predicting college student financial development of the attitudes and behavioral tendencies of acquiring a new card.