A scientist who does research in economic psychology and who wants to predict the way in which consumers will spend their money must study consumer behavior. He must obtain (1)_____ both on resources of consumers and on the motives that (2)_____ to encourage or discourage money spending. If an (3)_____ were asked which of three groups borrow most—people with rising incomes, (4)_____ incomes, or declining incomes—he would (5)_____ answer: those with declining incomes. Actually, in the years 1997—2000, the answer was: people with rising incomes. People with declining incomes were next and people with stable incomes borrowed the (6)_____. This shows us that traditional (7)_____ about earning and spending are not always (8)_____ Another traditional assumption is that if people who have money expect prices to go up, they will (9)_____ to buy. If they expect prices to go down, they will postpone buying. (10)_____ research surveys have shown that this is not always (11)_____ The expectations of price increases may not stimulate buying. One (12)_____ attitude was ex-pressed by the wife of a mechanic in an interview at a time of rising prices. Her family had been planning to buy a new car but they postponed this purchase. (13)_____, the rise in prices that has al-ready taken place may be resented and buyer"s resistance may be evoked. The (14)_____ mentioned above was carried out in America. Investigations (15)_____ at the same time in Great Britain, however, yielded results that were more (16)_____ traditional assumptions about saving and spending patterns. The condition most contributive to spending (17)_____ to be price stability. If prices have been stable and people consider that they are (18)_____, they are likely to buy. Thus, it appears that the common (19)_____ policy of maintaining stable prices is based on a correct understanding of (20)_____ psychology.