Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a consumer's subjective knowledge scale. The subjective knowledge scales previously used in consumer behavior research considered consumers subjective knowledge as a single factor. But scale developed in this study assume that consumers subjective knowledge distinguished into declarative and procedure knowledge. The range of this scales Cronbach alpha Was .82-.92 and item to total correlations were from .45 to .83. Test-retest correlation coefficient was .54-.77. Results of exploratory factor analysis show that consumers subjective knowledge had two factor solutions. Results of confirmatory factor analysis using LISREL also support two-factor model of consumers subjective knowledge. MTMM procedure yielded result satisfiable convergent and discriminant validity. Most of correlations between this scale and other consumer behavior related variables such as opinion seeking, opinion leabership, innovativeness, involvement and need for cognition, were almost statistically significant. But correlations with social desirability scales were not significant except for a single product. In sum, newly developed consumer's subjective knowledge scale showed acceptable internal consistency and convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity. The limitations of this study, and direction of further research were discussed.