THE MEANING PROFILE: ITS NATURE AND FUNCTIONS

Meaning is a construct with a long history of applications in many disciplines, in each of which it was differently defined.Previous definitions of meaning in psychology focused on behavior, images and verbal responses or associations, which limit the scope of the possible uses of meaning and its assessment.The new proposed definition is based on the assumptions that meaning is communicable, includes an interpersonal and a personal part, and is a multi-dimensional developing construct.The definition is that meaning is consists of units that include a referent to which meaning values are assigned.The six sets of meaning variables are described.They are used in meaning assignment and in coding meaning responses.Coding the responses of an individual to the meaning test that includes 11 stimulus words yields the individual's meaning profile.Meaning profiles can be constructed for groups of people, for personality traits, cognitive acts or processes, values, attitudes, constructs, concepts, people or emotions.The possible uses of meaning profiles in assessment, comparing traits, analyzing constructs, validation procedures and identifying traits are described.The procedure of training of meaning for its expansion or adaptation to particular goals is presented.