Subjective Meaning and Culture: An Assessment Through Word Associations

Originally published in 1978, Subjective Meaning and Culture presents a framework and a method for the comparative study of the perceptions, attitudes, and cultural frames of reference shared by groups of people. The framework is the notion of subjective meaning, and the method is that of word associations. The authors present a detailed account of some particular cross-cultural and intergroup comparisons using the word-association technique described in this volume. However, rather than emphasize comparisons they focus on the technique itself as a method in the investigation of subjective meaning and with it subjective culture. Their purpose was to introduce a research capability which offered new kinds of information and made critical aspects of subjective meaning accessible to empirical investigation. Today it can be read and enjoyed in its historical context.