2 Literature Review

2。1 Identity

In the field of linguistics, the most typical definition about identity was referred by Zimmerman (1998, p。 87-91) and Tracy (2002, p。 17-20)。 In Zimmerman’s opinion, identity is the factor of context when conversation happens。 In other words, identity is regarded as context。 Also, he endorses that we should study situated identities in specific situations。 There are three types of identities。 Discourse identity is an identity which is necessary to constitute a conversation, such as first speaker, listener, story teller and questioner。 Situated identity works in a specific situation。 For example, when an emergency happens, a person needs to be rescued, whose identity is temporary and is referred to situated identity。 Transportable identity is always there whatever situation happens, such as sex and ethnic identity。 

In the view of Tracy, identity has already existed before a specific situation happens, and it shows through conversation。 Identities change as situations change。 She classified four types of identities: master identity, interactional identity, personal identity and relational identity。 Master identity refers to some stable factors in one’s characters, such as age, sex and nationality。 Interactional identity refers to a certain identity which is reflected in a conversation with another person whose identity is certain。 Interactional identity is situated and depends to relationships。 For instance, in one situation, a person’s identity is friend, but in another situation, he or she maybe father or mother, university students or other identities。 Personal identity refers to one person’s character, attitude and temperament and also involves the way people talk with and interact with。 Relational identity refers to the relationship between speakers in one conversation, influenced by social status and social distance。 

Above all, identity is one kind of pragmatic resources。 Speakers will construct suitable identities in different situations, and produce utterances matching the identities, thus achieving the objectives of communication。 Interactional identity consists of pragmatic identity when speakers communicate with each other (Zimmerman, 1998)。 The above sentence has two meanings: identity is a part of pragmatics; due to the fact that speakers would not build many identities in conversations, the dynamic and emergent identity will be the focus of our study (Chen, 2013a)。 

2。2 Theoretical Research of Identity Based on Constructivism文献综述

2。2。1 Social Identity Theory

Social identity theory was rendered by social psychologist Tajfel and Turner (1986) in the context of the social identity of intergroup behavior。 According to Tajfel, social identity is  “that part of an inpidual’s self-concept which derives from his knowledge of his membership of a social group (or groups) together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership”  (Greene, 2004)。 

In the perspective of Social Identity Theory, social identity was built according to social-categorization, social comparison and positive distinctiveness。 This theory can explain group bias and group conflicts and describe the motive and deep reason of inpidual’s behaviors。 Through social categorization, inpiduals will produce in-group preference and out-group bias and make the characters of group their characters。 

Turner developed and formed self-categorization theory, which was based on the social identity theory。 Inpiduals always categorize themselves by various behaviors。 The focus is not who I am, but why inpiduals want to build their identities and in which way they use them。