Skip to main content

Risky Credit Card Behavior of College Students

  • Chapter
Book cover Handbook of Consumer Finance Research

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the credit card practices of college students and identifies specific groups of students who are more likely to be at risk for mismanaging and misusing credit. It specifically highlights findings from one particular study that collected data from a large sample of college students on multiple campuses in the Midwest. In this chapter, educational recommendations are made to financial professionals, who are interested in using this research to develop and provide more effective financial education to college students. Also included is a discussion of emerging research related to college students’ finances and directions for future research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen, J. L., & Jover, M. A. (1997). Credit card behavior of university students: Ethnic differences. Consumer Interest Annual, 43, 162–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong, C. J., & Craven, M. J. (1993). Credit card use and payment practices among college students. Proceedings of the 6 th Annual Conference of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, pp. 148–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469–480.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baum, S., & O’Malley, M. (2003). College on credit: How borrowers perceive their education debt. Results of the 2002 National Student Loan Survey. Braintree, MA: Nellie Mae Corporation. Retrieved April 15, 2007, from http://www.nelliemae.com/library/nasls_2002.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, H., & Volpe, R. P. (1998). An analysis of personal financial literacy among college students. Financial Services Review, 7(2), 107–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • College Board. (2005a). Trends in college pricing 2005. Washington, DC: The Washington Office of the College Board.

    Google Scholar 

  • College Board. (2005b). Trends in student aid 2005. Washington, DC: The Washington Office of the College Board.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayhoe, C. (2002). Comparison of affective credit attitude scores and credit use of college students at two points in time. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 94(1), 71–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayhoe, C. R., Leach, L., & Allen, M. W. (2005). Credit cards held by college students. Financial Counseling and Planning, 16(1), 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayhoe, C., Leach, L., & Turner, P. (1999). Discriminating the number of credit cards held by college students using credit and money attitudes. Journal of Economic Psychology, 20(6), 643–656.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayhoe, C., Leach, L., Turner, P., Bruin, M., & Lawrence, F. (2000). Differences in spending habits and credit use of college students. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 34(1), 113–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jamba-Joyner, L. A., Howard-Hamilton, M., & Mamarchew, H. (2000). College students and credit cards: Cause for concern. NASFAA Journal of Student Financial Aid, 30(3), 17–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • John, D. R. (1999). Consumer socialization of children: A retrospective look at twenty-five years of research. Journal of Consumer Research, 26(3), 183–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joo, S., Grable, J., & Bagwell, D. (2003). Credit card attitudes and behaviors of college students. College Student Journal, 37(3), 8–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kidwell, B., & Turrisi, R. (2000). A cognitive analysis of credit card acquisition and college student financial development. The Journal of College Students Development, 41(6), 589–599.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, F. C., Christofferson, R. C., Nester, S., Moser, B., Tucker, J. A., & Lyons, A. C. (2003). Credit card usage of college students: Evidence from Louisiana State University (Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Research Information Sheet Number 107). Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University. Retrieved July 30, 2007, from http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/4D79415B-DA3E-43B4-9FF6-634F27D0D0ˆC/4106/RIS107CreditCard4.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, F. C., Cude, B. J., Lyons, A. C., Marks, L., & Machtmes, K. (2006). College students’ financial practices: A mixed methods analysis. The Journal of Consumer Education, 23, 13–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C. (2004). A profile of financially at-risk college students. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 38(1), 56–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C. (2004/2005). A qualitative study on providing credit education to college students. The Journal of Consumer Education, 22, 9–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C. (2007a). Credit practices and financial education needs of Midwest college students. Indianapolis, IN: Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C. (2007b). More than students’ pocketbooks: The consequences of financial strain on college campuses (Working Paper). Indianapolis, IN: Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C., & Andersen, P. (2002). Credit usage of college students: Evidence from the University of Illinois (UIUC Office of Student Financial Aid Research Report). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C., Cude, B., Lawrence, F., & Gutter, M. (2005). Conducting research online: Challenges facing researchers in family and consumer sciences. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 33(4), 341–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C., & Hunt, J. (2003). The credit practices and financial education needs of community college students. Financial Counseling and Planning Journal, 14(2), 63–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C., Scherpf, E., & Neelakantan, U. (2007). Intergenerational transfer of financial behaviors from parents to children. (Working Paper). Indianapolis, IN: Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, A. C., Scherpf, E., & Roberts, H. (2006). Financial education and communication between parents and children. The Journal of Consumer Education, 23, 64–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattson, L., Sahlhoff, K., Blackstone, J., Peden, B., & Nahm, A.Y. (2004). Variables influencing credit card balances of students at a Midwestern university. NASFAA Journal of Student Financial Aid, 34(2), 7–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nellie Mae. (2005). Undergraduate students and credit cards in 2004: An analysis of usage rates and trends. Braintree, MA: Nellie Mae. Retrieved July 30, 2007, from http://www.nelliemae.com/pdf/ccstudy_2005.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norvilitis, J. M., Merwin, M. M., Osberg, T. M., Roehling, P. V., Young, P., & Kamas, M. M. (2006). Personality factors, money attitudes, financial knowledge, and credit-card debt in college students. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 36(6), 1395–1413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norvilitis, J. M., & Santa Maria, P. (2002). Credit card debt on college campuses: Causes, consequences, and solutions. College Student Journal, 36(3), 357–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norvilitis, J. M., Szablicki, P. B., & Wilson, S. D. (2003). Factors influencing levels of credit-card debt in college students. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33(5), 935–947.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oleson, M. (2001). Student credit card debt in the 21st century: Options for financial aid administrators. NASFAA Journal of Student Financial Aid, 31(3), 35–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, T. S., Pinto, M. B., & Parente, D. H. (2001). College students’ credit card debt and the role of parental involvement: Implications for public policy. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 20(1), 105–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinto, M. B., Parente, D. H., & Palmer, T. S. (2001). College student performance and credit card usage. Journal of College Student Development, 42(1), 49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, J. A., & Jones, E. (2001). Money attitudes, credit card use, and compulsive buying among American college students. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 35(2), 213–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, R., Golding, J., Towell, T., & Weinreb, I. (1999). The effects of economic circumstances on British students’ mental and physical health. Journal of American College Health, 48(3), 103–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shim, S., Xiao, J. J., Barber, B., & Lyons, A. (2007). Pathways to life success: A model of financial well-being for young adults (Working paper). Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona, Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Staten, M. E., & Barron, J. M. (2002). College student credit card usage (Working Paper No. 65). Washington, DC: Credit Research Center, Georgetown University.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Education Resources Institute & The Institute for Higher Education Policy. (1998). Credit risk or credit worthy? College students and credit cards, a national survey. Boston, MA: Author. Retrieved July 30, 2007, from http://www.ihep.org/Pubs/PDF/Credit.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Government Accountability Office. (2001). Consumer finance: College students and credit cards (GAO-01-773). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved July 30, 2007, from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d01773.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weston, M. B. (2001). Creating a financial path to graduation. Proceedings of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education, p. 131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao, J. J., Noring, F., & Anderson, J. (1995). College students’ attitudes towards credit cards. Journal of Consumer Studies and Home Economics, 19, 155–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao, J. J., Shim, S., Barber, B., & Lyons, A. (2007). Financial behaviors of college students: A pilot study (Working paper). Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona, Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lyons, A.C. (2008). Risky Credit Card Behavior of College Students. In: Xiao, J.J. (eds) Handbook of Consumer Finance Research. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-75734-6_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics