THE consumer is hesitant, uncertain, off balance." So says Daniel Yankelovich, head of a Manhattan-based attitude-research firm that recently analyzed the reactions of 8,000 Americans to the economic climate. From the results, Yankelovich identified for TIME nine factors that contribute to the consumer's cautious mood. His report:
1) The value isn't there. Customers feel that prices are so high that they are no longer getting true value for their money.
2) Unemployment is striking close to home. Reports of engineers and other skilled professionals who cannot find work make people feel "Could I be next?"
3) People can no longer count on doing better...
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