• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.801-817
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• 2011

The purpose of this research was to explore the levels of ethical consumption of the college students and classify their types on ethical consumption behaviors. This research was conducted with university students living in Gwangju. Statistical analysis was achieved by using t-test, one-way ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, $X^2$, and Ward' hierarchical cluster analysis with a total of 761 questionnaires. The research results are summarized as follows: First, the overall ethical consumption average mark of college students was 3.14. Second, all surveyed college students were classified into five types based on the means scores of three dimension ethical consumption behaviors. A total 16.7% of students belonged to Type 1 (named as entire region active group) where students scored high points on three dimension ethical consumption behaviors. Type 2 (named as entire region average group) had about 41.6% of students whose scores were the average mark level in three dimension ethical consumption behaviors. Type 3 (named as future-oriented group) occupied 13.9% and this group scored low on the ethical consumption in commercial transaction but high on the ethical consumption for the future generation. Type 4 (named as commercial transaction oriented group) occupied 9.1% and this group scored low on the ethical consumption for contemporary humankind and the ethical consumption for the future generation but high on the ethical consumption in commercial transaction. Type 5 (named as entire region passive group) had 18.7% of students whose scores of three dimension ethical consumption behaviors were low.