Knowra Shame Shame Shame is a painful self-conscious emotion in which a person experiences the self as flawed, exposed, or unworthy. It often follows perceived failure or social disapproval and can prompt withdrawal or concealment.
Self-conscious emotions : Emotions that require self-awareness and evaluation against standards, including shame, guilt, pride, and embarrassment. Shame depends on judging the self against personal or social standards.
Guilt : A negative feeling about having committed a wrongful or harmful action. Guilt centers on what a person did, whereas shame condemns the self.
Self-compassion : A way of responding to personal suffering with kindness, shared humanity, and mindful awareness. Self-compassion counters harsh self-condemnation without denying responsibility.
Silvan Tomkins : An American psychologist whose affect theory treated shame as a basic affect that interrupts interest or enjoyment. His account made shame a central affect rather than merely a moral judgment.
Moral emotions : Emotions connected to judgments about right and wrong, social conduct, and moral relationships. Shame’s moral effects depend on how it operates alongside other moral emotions.
Social evaluation : The process of assessing how others judge a person’s behavior, traits, or standing. Anticipated or perceived negative judgment can trigger shame.
Embarrassment : A self-conscious emotion caused by a socially awkward event or minor breach of expectations. Embarrassment usually concerns a temporary awkward moment rather than a globally flawed self.
Stigma : Social devaluation attached to a trait, identity, condition, or group membership. Stigmatized people may internalize social devaluation as shame.
Helen Block Lewis : An American psychologist who developed influential research distinguishing shame from guilt. Her work clarified how shame concerns the whole self while guilt concerns an action.
Collectivism and individualism : Contrasting cultural orientations that emphasize group interdependence or individual autonomy. Cultural emphasis on group standing or personal autonomy can alter shame’s meaning.
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