Guilt, Shame, and Family Socialization

Abstract

In this study, we argue for the importance of guilt and shame for the process of socialization via the role of these reflexive emotions in individuals' conformity to moral and social norms. Working from the assumption that the self-concept is the basis for feelings of guilt and shame, we test a number of hypotheses connecting the experience of these emotions to 3 styles of parental control (inductive, affective, and coercive). Undergraduate students ( N = 270) completed questionnaires designed to assess their proneness to feelings of guilt and shame in situations of norm violations, and through retrospective reports the disciplinary practices of each of their parents. Results supported hypothesized connections between inductive control and guilt, and between affective control and shame. The associations between parental control, guilt, and shame in situations of intentional and unintentional norm violations differed depending on the gender of the parent relative to the gender of the child and on the interaction of parental control with parental support. These associations and the implications of the use of affective control as a moral socialization strategy are discussed.