Meaning of things: domestic symbols and the self / Mihaly Csikszentmihaly i; Eugene Halton

By:

Csikszentmihalyi, Mi

Material type: Text

TextLanguage: English Publication details: Cambridge University Press: 1999. Cambridge,Description: xiv, 304 pISBN:

9780521287746

Subject(s):

DDC classification:

155.2 CSI-M

Contents:

Part I: 1. People and things -- 2. What things are for -- Part II: 3. The most cherished objects in the home -- 4. Object relations and the development of the self -- 5. The home as symbolic environment -- 6. Characteristics of happy homes -- Part III: 7. The transactions between persons and things -- 8. Signs of family life -- 9. Meaning and survival -- Appendixes -- Name index -- Subject index.

Summary: "The meaning of things is a study of the significance of material possessions in contemporary urban life, and of the ways people carve meaning out of their domestic environment. Drawing on a survey of eighty families in Chicago who were interviewed on the subject of their feelings about common household objects, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton provide a unique perspective on materialism, American culture, and the self. They begin by reviewing what social scientists and philosophers have said about the transactions between people and things. In the model of 'personhood' that the authors develop, goal-directed action and the cultivation of meaning through signs assume central importance. They then relate theoretical issues to the results of their survey. An important finding is the distinction between objects valued for action and those valued for contemplation.

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Holdings
Item type	Current library	Collection	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds
Books	Library, SPAB D-1	Non Fiction	155.2 CSI-M (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available		006991

Total holds: 0

Part I: 1. People and things --
2. What things are for --
Part II: 3. The most cherished objects in the home --
4. Object relations and the development of the self --
5. The home as symbolic environment --
6. Characteristics of happy homes --
Part III: 7. The transactions between persons and things --
8. Signs of family life --
9. Meaning and survival --
Appendixes --
Name index --
Subject index.

"The meaning of things is a study of the significance of material possessions in contemporary urban life, and of the ways people carve meaning out of their domestic environment. Drawing on a survey of eighty families in Chicago who were interviewed on the subject of their feelings about common household objects, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton provide a unique perspective on materialism, American culture, and the self. They begin by reviewing what social scientists and philosophers have said about the transactions between people and things. In the model of 'personhood' that the authors develop, goal-directed action and the cultivation of meaning through signs assume central importance. They then relate theoretical issues to the results of their survey. An important finding is the distinction between objects valued for action and those valued for contemplation.

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