Research On Social Identity Of Smoking Behavior Among College Students

Nowadays, about one-third of adults smoke in the world, smoking has become a global problem. Smoking Survey on university students reveals that smoking rates of graduates were 42.57% compared with 19.65% of the freshman's smoking rates, which has a significant difference and to some extent indicates the great majority students started smoking in college. Cigarettes are an important tool in helping to alleviate smokers. Cigarettes are also used to modulate feelings and acquire group identity. For many smokers, cigarettes seem to be an important social and psychological component rather than the physical dependence.This study uses In-depth Interview and Intrepretivism Research Methodology to explore the explanations of own smoking as articulated by smokers themselves. Through the smokers'own description of the reason why they start smoking, continue smoking and their smoking status and attitude, we could explore the relationship between their smoking behavior and social identity. This article study smoking behaviors from the perspective of Social Identity Theory. View from this study, smokers'recognition on smoking behavior mainly in four areas, Cultural identity, relationship identity, symbol identity and gender identity.The results reveal smoking behavior of college students is not a simple act, but a complex social behavior in association with culture,relationship,symbols,gender and different social context. Smokers always have rational reasons to explain their own smoking behavior. It has important theoretical and practical significance to clarify these excuses and different aspects of social identity on smoking behavior.