Final answer:
Charles Peirce's analysis of symbols includes three types of signs: icon, index, and symbol, which form the basis of semiotics for understanding communication in society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of a "symbol" first articulated by American philosopher Charles Peirce can be analyzed into different types of signification, which are critical to the field of semiotics - the study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behavior. Peirce identified three types of signs: icon, index, and symbol. An icon is a sign that resembles the object it represents, such as a photograph representing the actual person. An index is a sign that is directly connected to the object, like smoke indicating fire. A symbol is a sign that has an arbitrary relationship with what it represents, such as the word "dog" which has no physical resemblance to the actual animal but is understood to represent it within a given language.