Shifts of the Demand Curve/Understanding Demand

complements

two goods that are used together

normal goods

goods that consumers demand more of when incomes increase

substitutes

goods used in place of one another

inferior goods

goods for which demand falls as income increases

an assumption that nothing but the price of an item will change

What is the meaning of the phrase ceteris paribus to an economist?

a change in demand

What do economists call a situation in which consumers buy a different quantity than they did before, at every price?

Immediate demand for a good will go up if its price is expected to rise.

How can expectations about the future change consumer behavior?

More people demanding goods will cause prices to rise.

How can population changes affect demand for certain goods?

If goods are used together, increase demand for one will increase demand for the other.

How can the demand for one good be affected by increased demand for another one?

a change in an area other than price

What causes a change in the demand curve or a shift in demand?

to predict how people will change their buying habits when prices change

Why does an economist create a market demand curve?

agreement on the price and the quantity traded

What is the effect of the interaction of buyers and sellers on a market?

The consumer is willing and able to buy the good or service at the specified price.

What does it mean when an economist says that a consumer has demand for a good or service?

the amount of a good that is bought

How do economists measure the consumption of a good?

Consumers buy the item as a substitute for other things.

How does the substitution effect work when the price of an item drops?

Fewer goods are bought.

If prices rise and income stays the same, what is the effect on demand?