Guilt

Guilt and Shame

Guilt is often confused with shame. People may refer to these emotions incorrectly or interchangeably; however, much evidence suggests that they are distinct. Similar to guilt, shame is an unpleasant feeling, but shame tends to be a more painful experience and is characterized by feeling [Page 427]worthless, exposed, and small. There are not reliable distinctions between the types of situations that can separately evoke guilt or shame, and it is possible to feel a certain level of both emotions after a misdeed or failure. For example, compared to shame, guilt more often arises from private rather than public wrongdoings; however, individuals can feel guilty for public misdeeds and feel shameful for private acts.

Guilt is often confused with shame, which is associated with withdrawal behaviors such as avoiding others. Guilt is more often linked with repair behaviors, such as taking responsibility, apologizing, or putting in additional effort with others.

Instead of a particular context, guilt and shame can be distinguished by the negative evaluations that individuals make after lying or following some other harmful action. Negatively judging the self by focusing on what “I” did wrong can elicit shame, whereas negatively judging the wrongful behavior by focusing on what I “did” wrong can evoke guilt. Thus, it is perhaps easier to understand why guilt may feel less painful than shame, because guilt stems from a greater focus on a temporary act as “terrible” rather than a global evaluation of the self as a “terrible person.” Guilt and shame may also be distinguished by the type of behaviors following a wrongdoing. Shame tends to be associated with withdrawal behaviors such as avoiding others. Guilt is more often linked with repair behaviors, such as taking responsibility, apologizing, or putting in additional effort with others.

...