Published Research

2020

Money is a symbol. Beginning with this simple notion, we have completed a qualitative study of how money exists in people’s everyday lives and how it is used symbolically. A review of the financial, economic, psychological, and semiotic literature shows that even though money is written and talked about exhaustively, little symbol theory appears in economic writing, and we rarely found money mentioned in semiotic texts. We used a qualitative, phenomenological approach to identify critical thematic elements and underlying structures of participants’ experience. We also incorporated an accepted symbol-structure template in our analysis of the functions, emotions, actions, and reactions in the transactions our participants described. Participants refer to money both as wealth in the abstract and as concrete amounts about to be used. Our analysis of money in the abstract describes a structure of experience involving belonging, privacy and secrecy, unequal distribution, quantitative uncertainty, reflections of life history, and values. Our analysis of money in the concrete reveals a symbolic intention and a variety of “Others” engaged in the symbolic action.

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I lead research projects based on careful listening to how men, women, couples ~ and even children ~ are thinking and deciding about money. Consider taking an hour to come in and discuss our current money topic. Contact me if you are interested in participating in an interview.

I work with a team of qualitative researchers in Seattle Washington. We are practicing therapists with masters degrees in psychology and an interest in how people experience the world. Money is a big part of our world, and we recognize that money impacts self esteem, emotions, and relationships.