ABSTRACT
Over the last two decades or so, Edwards' work on scripting has ignited a glut of fascinating discursive research. Before addressing Edwards specific work on scripting, it is important to couch it within Edwards' early discursive psychological reworking of the relationship between cognition and discourse. Edwards' work on script formulations has served as a case exemplar in a range of introductions to discursive psychology. Script formulations are directly apropos in the social psychology of impression management. Edwards launches his work on scripts by advancing a thorough critique of traditional script theory. He shows how script formulations, built as an interplay between discursive items, instances and generalities, coalesce to construct the moral, personal and pathological traits. His critique, works to undermine the traditional conceptualization of scripts and how they operate in contexts of meaning making. Script formulations are highly common forms of social action that allow speakers to create, resist and modify their own and others' social identities.
