Open AccessSymbolic Interactionist Sociology and Onomastics
Author(s) -
Donna K. Darden
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
names
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.2
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1756-2279
pISSN - 0027-7738
DOI - 10.1179/nam.1983.31.4.288
Subject(s) - dimension (graph theory) , multidimensional scaling , onomastics , meaning (existential) , character (mathematics) , symbolic interactionism , space (punctuation) , sociology , virility , the symbolic , epistemology , psychology , social psychology , linguistics , mathematics , masculinity , psychoanalysis , philosophy , pure mathematics , statistics , geometry
This study demonstrates that personal names present an excellent opportunity for symbolic interaction sociologists to engage in research devoted to determining the nature and structure of their key variable, meaning. Using the technique of multidimensional scaling, ten men's names are mapped in 3- and 4 dimensional space. The four dimensions are identified as Character, Maturity, Sociability and Virility. The three dimensions are identified as Activity, Evaluation and Potency combined with Age. Both solutions are acceptable using standard criteria. Nicknames are shown to be a composite of the other dimen.sions, rather than a separate dimension.