The impact of the crisis on high-income households' attitudes and behaviour (Wplyw kryzysu na postawy i zachowania konsumpcyjne elit ekonomicznych)

The global economic crisis has very markedly affected the economies of all countries. Its unquestionable social dimensions include rising unemployment, decrease in household income, adjusting consumption structures and lifestyles, changing so much that they entail serious anxiety and depression arising from the fear for jobs, problems with finding new ones, deteriorating financial situation, fear of savings running out or inability to repay loans. Due to the fact that the global crisis has also affected the Polish socio-economic reality, the article attempts to identify the highincome households' consumption attitudes and behaviour. After presenting the research methodology and assumptions, the article analyses the subjective evaluations of the financial situation made by households classified as economic elite and their actions to improve it. Then it concentrates on consumers' attitudes to crisis and changes in the consumption structure specific for the economic elite. The article ends with the recapitulation of the discussion and major conclusions.