Arguing that understanding human interaction requires both a study of symbol use and a study of human action, this paper focuses on one function served by symbolization--fantasizing. Drawing upon the work of R. F. Bales, who identified the sharing of group fantasies as a useful communication function and who observed the process by which group members "chain out" on stories that are only indirectly related to a task at hand in order to build a sense of group unity, the paper first offers a brief description of why some fantasies chain out and others do not. It then provides clarification of and definitions for the terminology employed throughout the paper, specifically elaborating upon "fantasy,""richness of fantasy" (the idea that some people have greater ability to fantasize than others), and "chaining out of fantasy." The paper then discusses a pilot study designed to test the "richness of fantasy" hypothesis. The paper concludes with a theoretical explanation for the processes of making meaning, persuasion, and problem solving--that the receiver is the source of meaning in communication and that richness of fantasy is a mediating variable in an individual's process of communication. An appendix contains the 10 richness of fantasy items used on the pilot study instrument, and four pages of references are attached. (FL)