01 
more of a meaning of possess (r=.14; r =.29), and more of a meaning of cherish (r =.16; r =.21), 
These are all characteristics of owning that one might expect to be salient for materialistic 
persons. 
As an aside, although the reliability measures of this study did not support the Materialism 
sub-scales of Possessiveness and Envy, the correlational relationships with the verb similarity 
ratings did. In both samples, Possessiveness was positively related to own having more of a 
meaning of cherish (n=168; r=.24, p=.001; n=71, r=.22, p<.05) and more of a meaning of keep 
(n=1868, r=.15, p<.05; n=71, r=.23, p <.05), even when controlling respectively for Desirability 
(n=165, r=.24, p=.001; n=68, r=.22, p<.05) (n=165, r=.15, p<.05; n=68 r=.23, p<.05). 
Possessiveness also correlated in both samples with the personality trait of Order (n= 185; 
r=.21, p<.001; n=81, r =.25, p =.01), even when controlling for Desirability (n=182, r=.21, 
p<.001; n=78, r=.28, p<.001). Envy correlated with own having more of a meaning of claim 
(n=168, r=.22, p<.001; n=71, r=.28, p =.01), even controlling for Desirability (n = 165, r =.22, 
p<.001; n=68, r=.24, p <.05). 
Finally, consider the relationships of the materialism measures to the PRF personality 
measures. There was a very strong, positive relationship in both samples between materialism 
and the trait of Defendence (r=.47; r =.30). This was due in part to Nongenerous persons being 
more defendent (r=.24; r=.26). Nongenerous persons also tended to be less nurturant (r=-.49; 
r=-.36) and less affiliative (r=-.27; r =-.35). 
Discussion 
The correlational findings reported here, though statistically significant and replicated, are 
generally small. This is reasonable in a study of semantic nuances using small samples, 
aspecially considering that language is normative and that words are expected to have stable 
meanings in interpersonal communication. Nevertheless, these findings do lend themselves 
well to discussion of the psychology of property and ownership. 
The semantic structure of the verbs of ownership used here is similar to that found by 
other psycholinguistic studies. Here own was found to be closest in meaning to have and 
paeseeE, Which was also the finding of Rapoport and Fillenbaum (1972), Rudmin and Berry 
(1987), and Takane (1980). The verb cluster of dominion (claim, control, keep) was judged next 
most related to owning, similar to Rudmin and Berry’s (1987) finding that territoriality and