TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of public exposure in moral and nonmoral shame and guilt
AU - Smith, Richard H.
AU - Webster, J. Matthew
AU - Parrott, W. Gerrod
AU - Eyre, Heidi L.
PY - 2002/7
Y1 - 2002/7
N2 - Although scholarly traditions assume that shame results more from the public exposure of a transgression or incompetence than guilt does, this distinction has little empirical support. Four studies, using either undergraduate participants' responses to hypothetical scenarios, their remembered experiences, or the coding of literary passages, reexamined this issue. Supporting traditional claims, public exposure of both moral (transgressions) and nonmoral (incompetence) experiences was associated more with shame than with guilt. Shame was also more strongly linked with nonmoral experiences of inferiority, suggesting 2 core features of shame: its links with public exposure and with negative self-evaluation. The distinctive features of guilt included remorse, self-blame, and the private feelings associated with a troubled conscience.
AB - Although scholarly traditions assume that shame results more from the public exposure of a transgression or incompetence than guilt does, this distinction has little empirical support. Four studies, using either undergraduate participants' responses to hypothetical scenarios, their remembered experiences, or the coding of literary passages, reexamined this issue. Supporting traditional claims, public exposure of both moral (transgressions) and nonmoral (incompetence) experiences was associated more with shame than with guilt. Shame was also more strongly linked with nonmoral experiences of inferiority, suggesting 2 core features of shame: its links with public exposure and with negative self-evaluation. The distinctive features of guilt included remorse, self-blame, and the private feelings associated with a troubled conscience.
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U2 - 10.1037/0022-3514.83.1.138
DO - 10.1037/0022-3514.83.1.138
M3 - Article
C2 - 12088123
AN - SCOPUS:85047672700
SN - 0022-3514
VL - 83
SP - 138
EP - 159
JO - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
IS - 1
ER -