Emotions Of Guilt Research Articles

The current status of nurses’ psychological experience as second victims during the reconstruction of the course of event after patient safety incident in China: a mixed study

BackgroundPatient safety incidents are unavoidable and nurses, as parties involved, become second victims due to the incident itself and the way it is handled. In China, reconstructing the course of events is a crucial step in the aftermath of the incident; however, its impact on the emotional well-being of the second victim remains unclear.PurposeThe purpose of this study is to gain insight into the psychological experiences and current conditions of nurses who act as second victims during the process of reconstructing the sequence of events. Additionally, the study aims to provide justifications for supporting these individuals.MethodsAn exploratory mixed research method was adopted to understand the emotional experience of the second victim when reconstructing the passage of the incident through qualitative research. Fourteen nurses with experience as second victims were selected for semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling according to the maximum difference sampling strategy. Through quantitative research, we explored the negative psychology and support needs of the second victims when they reverted to the incident, and a self-developed questionnaire (the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.895) was used to survey 3,394 nurses with experiences as second victims in 11 tertiary hospitals in Shanxi Province.ResultsIn the qualitative part of the study, the emotional experience of the second victim’s reconstruction of the course of events after a patient safety incident could be categorized into 3 themes: negative views as initial psychological impact, avoidance as part of psychological impact, and expectations and growth in overcoming negative psychological impact. The quantitative part of the study revealed that the emotions of guilt and self-blame accounted for the highest percentage after a patient safety incident. The second victim presented a high score of 39.58 ± 5.45 for support requirements.ConclusionThis study provides a better understanding of the true emotional experiences and the need for support of the second victim in the process of reconstructing the course of events. Following a patient safety incident, nursing administrators and healthcare institutions should consider the adverse psychological effects on the second victim, prioritize their support needs during the incident’s reconstruction, create a positive safety culture, and reduce the risk of secondary victimization for these individuals.

The effect of self-conscious emotions of guilt and regret on consumers’ intentions to reduce food waste

The study explores the role of guilt and regret in influencing consumers’ food waste intentions and behaviors in India. We conducted a longitudinal study spanning May–September 2022 and August–December 2023. Study 1 indicates a negative association between regret and the intention to reduce waste, while Study 2 found a positive association. Felt guilt significantly influenced the intention to reduce waste in both studies. This study aims to inform interventions and policies that promote sustainable consumption by uncovering the psychological factors influencing food waste. Waste reduction is consistently motivated by guilt in various restaurant settings, and the impact of regret improves over time. Based on our findings, it is evident that emotional responses are highly individualized, but various situational factors also influence consumer responses. This study highlights the need for customized interventions to address consumer emotions about food waste. Developing practical strategies that can effectively address emotional triggers, increase consumer awareness, and close the gap between intention and behavior is essential. By considering our findings, stakeholders can develop impactful campaigns and policies that encourage sustainable food practices and reduce waste, thereby cultivating a more sustainable food system.

Are self-conscious emotions about the self? Testing competing theories of shame and guilt across two disparate cultures.

The emotions of guilt and shame play major roles in forgiveness, social exclusion, face-saving ploys, suicide, and honor killings. Understanding these emotions is thus of vital importance. The outputs of guilt and shame are already well understood: Guilt motivates amends; shame motivates evasion. However, the elicitors and functions of these emotions are disputed. According to attributional theory, guilt and shame are intrapersonal emotions elicited when negative outcomes are attributed to controllable/unstable (guilt) or uncontrollable/stable (shame) aspects of the self. By contrast, functionalist theory claims that guilt and shame are interpersonal emotions for minimizing the imposition of harm on valued others (guilt) and the cost of reputational damage on the self (shame). Although there is confirmatory evidence consistent with both theories, evidence ostensibly supporting one theory has been argued to actually support the other. To solve this problem of data interpretation, here we report contrastive critical tests of the two theories performed on online participant pools in the United States and India in 2021 (N = 853). Results in both countries support functionalist theory over attributional theory, suggesting that the intrapersonal effects reported in the emotion literature are tributary or incidental to the interpersonal functions of guilt and shame. Functionalist theory presents a promising framework for understanding the interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects of guilt, shame, and other self-conscious emotions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

TRANSFORMATIVE EMOTIONAL JOURNEYS: RECONCEPTUALIZING GUILT, SHAME, HOPE, AND COMPASSION IN ADDICTION THERAPY

This paper reconceptualizes four key emotions—guilt, shame, hope, and compassion—in addiction therapy, proposing a novel framework that acknowledges their transformative potential. Traditional perceptions cast guilt and shame as purely negative, but this study posits them as motivators for change when reframed positively. Hope and compassion are re-envisioned as active forces, essential for resilience and recovery. Integrating positive psychology and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the paper advocates for a therapeutic approach that focuses on strengths and growth, promoting a balanced treatment that fosters personal development. A literature review and theoretical analysis support the framework, calling for therapeutic engagement with emotions as central to the recovery process. The new model aims for a holistic, empathetic practice, empowering clients and suggesting a paradigm shift in clinical addiction therapy. Future research is encouraged to establish long-term efficacy and explore integration with conventional methods.

Randomized trial on the effects of an EMDR intervention on traumatic and obsessive symptoms during the COVID-19 quarantine: a psychometric study.

It has been suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic was a potentially traumatic occurrence that may have induced generalized anxiety and discomfort, particularly in susceptible populations like individuals with mental illnesses. The therapeutic approach known as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has been shown to be successful in helping patients process traumatic events and restore wellbeing. Nevertheless, little is known about the precise processes through which EMDR fosters symptom recovery. In order to disentangle these issues, we conducted a randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT06110702) with 107 participants who were selected from university hospitals as a sample of investigation. Random assignments were applied to the participants in order to assign them to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group, but not the control group, underwent an 8-week EMDR intervention. Body perception, disgust, and emotions of guilt and shame, as well as mental contamination and posttraumatic and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, were investigated before and after the EMDR intervention. The EMDR intervention was able to improve all of the variables investigated. Path analysis showed that body perception was able to predict both disgust and emotions of guilt and shame. Disgust was able to predict both mental contamination and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, while guilt and shame were able to predict post-traumatic symptoms. EMDR is an effective therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic and obsessive symptoms that acts through the promotion of improvement of the emotions of guilt/shame and disgust, respectively. Implications for clinical practice are examined. https://www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT06110702.

The role of foreign language in the experience and emotional expression of guilt: evidence from moral scenarios and autobiographical memories of bilinguals

ABSTRACT This study investigated the influence of language – first language (L1) versus second language (L2) – on the experience and the expression of the emotion of guilt. Fifty-two Greek – Spanish bilinguals read two moral scenarios that induced guilt in their L2 (Spanish) and rated the intensity with which they felt a series of emotions (moral scenario task). Then they were asked to recall and write about a real-life event that made them feel guilty in their L2 (autobiographical memory task). A month later they performed the same tasks in their L1. Content analysis and emotional vocabulary analysis were conducted to examine cross-linguistic differences in the expression of guilt. Overall, these bilinguals experienced higher levels of guilt and regret when they read the moral scenarios in their L1 Greek. They also used a greater number of emotion words in their autobiographical memories in L1. However, they appeared to be more willing to talk about sensitive topics (e.g. infidelity, homosexuality, and death) in their L2. These findings have implications for both psychotherapy and L2 instruction.

Environmental Blindspots: Identification and Mitigation using Technologies, Education, and Policies

Objectives:“Environmental Blindspots” are newly defined as a type of social problem within the realm of various environmental pollution and climate issues, wherein they are pushed down in priority due to factors such as corporate profit, consumer preferences, and government regulations, consequently remaining unresolved. This ultimately leads citizens to experience a sense of guilt. Despite the significant influence they wield on the welfare of current and future generations, various environmental social issues characterized by environmental blindspots (such as micro-hazardous substances like microplastics and environmental hormones) fail to become major considerations in societal decision-making. Consequently, they are not actively discussed within the social community. This absence of social consensus on these issues reflects the current situation. As a result, citizens repeatedly make choices that do not prioritize environmental values due to a perception of powerlessness stemming from the absence of environmentally friendly options, the belief that the issue is too immense to tackle individually, and lack of knowledge about specific actions to take for environmental problem-solving, among other factors. In this process, they experience involuntary and deliberate emotions of guilt. Since environmental blindspots are issues collectively experienced by the societal community comprising citizens, businesses, and government, solutions must also be derived collectively through collective thinking. This review has endeavored to incorporate such efforts.Methods:In this review, to develop a more effective interdisciplinary research methodology for addressing the previously mentioned environmental social issues, ten interdisciplinary researchers from the Environmental Engineering and Social Sciences fields at the center for convergence research (SEBIS) collaborated, leveraging their respective expertise to document literature survey results. Firstly, they reported on the environmental behavior, toxicity, distribution, and regulatory status of micro-hazardous substances, namely (micro)plastics and volatile organic compounds, which are the research subjects of the Environmental Blindspot Research Center. Secondly, they compiled relevant treatment technologies. Subsequently, they described the socio-structural causes of environmental blindspots and various solutions to environmental social issues through social science methodologies.Results and Discussion:To address the environmental blindspots, a key environmental social issue, it is necessary to advance various environmental technologies alongside responsible production by businesses and the enhancement of citizen environmental awareness. It is crucial for the government to institutionalize policies in the public domain to achieve this. Understanding the structural roles of citizens, businesses, and government is essential. It requires ethical consumer awareness and active participation, public campaigns and education, as well as effective government environmental policies to incentivize environmental friendly technological innovations by companies.Conclusion:In this review, the issue of environmental blindspots as an environmental social issue is being addressed comprehensively for the first time. Through this, we aim to establish an effective communication and cooperation system among social entities to explore solutions to environmental blindspots, and to propagate this ability to address social issues to future academic generations.

Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, decreases willingness to harm others by promoting moral emotions of guilt and shame.

Prosocial and moral behaviors have overlapping neural systems and can both be affected in a number of psychiatric disorders, although whether they involve similar neurochemical systems is unclear. In the current registered randomized placebo-controlled trial on 180 adult male and female subjects, we investigated the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin and vasopressin, which play key roles in influencing social behavior, on moral emotion ratings for situations involving harming others and on judgments of moral dilemmas where others are harmed for a greater good. Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, enhanced feelings of guilt and shame for intentional but not accidental harm and reduced endorsement of intentionally harming others to achieve a greater good. Neither peptide influenced arousal ratings for the scenarios. Effects of oxytocin on guilt and shame were strongest in individuals scoring lower on the personal distress subscale of trait empathy. Overall, findings demonstrate for the first time that oxytocin, but not vasopressin, promotes enhanced feelings of guilt and shame and unwillingness to harm others irrespective of the consequences. This may reflect associations between oxytocin and empathy and vasopressin with aggression and suggests that oxytocin may have greater therapeutic potential for disorders with atypical social and moral behavior.

Making amends: emotions and the western response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Abstract The western response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was unprecedented. The states of the European Union, the G7 and NATO have targeted Russia with sanctions and diplomatic isolation, and furnished Ukraine with military assistance sufficient to ensure the Zelensky regime's survival. These efforts have proven insufficient to dislodge Russia from its occupation of Ukrainian territory. Nonetheless, when launched in the aftermath of the invasion, they were seen (and often justified as) as bold, innovative, and steadfast—a necessary response to a grievous act. What explains this response? In this article we argue that the answer lies in the emotions of guilt and shame for past actions and mistakes in the West's dealings with Russia and Ukraine. Informed by a qualitative discourse analysis of key speeches, statements and interviews with leading western policy-makers (past and present), we regard these two emotions—expressed as apologies and the acknowledgment of mistakes—as important drivers of policy. This article contributes to the bourgeoning literature on emotions in world politics. In addition to offering a coherent explanation of the West's unprecedented response our argument has policy implications. While the admission of wrongdoing is laudable, it can lead to actors overcompensating, resulting in further mistakes and policy failures. Fast-tracking Ukraine into the European Union would be one such error.

A latent profile analysis of moral emotions following moral transgressions.

Moral transgressions (MTs), events that violate one's moral code, are associated with the moral emotions of guilt and shame. However, there may be different patterns by which people experience guilt and shame that affect distress following MTs. Undergraduates (N = 1371) exposed to anMT completed self-report assessments. This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to examine profiles based on guilt cognitions, internalized shame, and distress in relation to a reported MT. Cognitive flexibility, years since the MT, and deliberate and intrusive rumination were examined as variables to determine how these factors predicted profile membership. Results from the LPA revealed a three-profile solution: a low moral distress profile (n = 1002), a moderate moral distress profile (n = 262), and a shame prominent profile (n = 107). Results indicated that higher levels of deliberate and intrusive rumination and lower levels of cognitive flexibility significantly increased the likelihood of belonging to the moderate moral distress or shame prominent profiles compared to the low moral distress profile. Higher levels of intrusive rumination and lower levels of cognitive flexibility also significantly increased the likelihood of belonging to the shame prominent profile over the moderate distress profile. Three different profiles emerged, with the shame prominent profile being driven primarily by internalized shame. Results suggest that intrusive rumination and cognitive inflexibility are risk factors to experiencing adverse responses to MTs.

“I feel like I am betraying my child”: The socio‐politics of maternal guilt and shame

AbstractIn this paper, we explore maternal shame and guilt as affective derivatives of social regulations of motherhood in Iceland, which is internationally perceived as a frontrunner in gender equality. We analyze 450 qualitative questionnaires completed by parents describing feelings of guilt and shame in connection to parenthood. We use 76 questionnaires completed by fathers to contrast and compare to answers from mothers to better understand the affective‐discursive workings of motherhood. The affective‐discursive analytical framework allows us to understand affective pulls, pushes, power dynamics and their social politics. The findings are contextualized in the Nordic welfare state, neoliberalism, the current ethos of intensive mothering. The recurrent thread running through the data is the idea of the ever‐present mother, and under this umbrella concept, we have developed two affective‐discursive themes: (i) the guilt of working (long hours) and having to arrange for childcare and (ii) failing to be 100% present for the child. We conclude that the emotions of guilt and shame are consistently present in mothers' lives, much more so than in fathers' lives, and that this gendered pattern is both caused by and serves to reinforce the age‐old cultural mandate that mothers are primarily responsible for child rearing. The marks of intensive mothering are evident in mothers' description of feeling guilty for everyday tasks such as working, cleaning, studying, arranging for daycare, sending their children to preschool, and attending to their own needs. This gendered pattern suggests that the gender equality cornerstone of the Nordic welfare state might be at risk as important institutions, such as preschools, are perceived as inferior to mothers' constant attention.

Incentivized fake reviews: When cognitive reappraisal paves the way for an immoral journey

AbstractRecent studies explain how to detect fake reviews and their impacts on consumers and businesses. Despite the prevalence and significance of fake reviews, prior research has yet to fully explore the motivations and psychological mechanisms behind voluntary participation in writing fake reviews, especially in incentivized campaigns. This paper explains why consumers engage in the immoral act of writing fake reviews in return for free products. We investigate the interactive role of individuals' self‐focused motivations and cognitive reappraisal ability in diminishing consumers' moral emotions of guilt, subsequently influencing their intention to write incentivized reviews. Built on three studies, the findings reveal that customers' self‐focused motivations coupled with their ability to regulate emotions dissuade their feelings of guilt. Consequently, customers who experience downregulated emotions of guilt show a higher intention to write incentivized fake reviews. This study contributes to the existing literature by illustrating the driving factors toward writing incentivized fake reviews, especially by depicting the negative role of cognitive reappraisal. The study also has managerial implications indicating that such customer behavior can be avoided by fostering a sense of consideration toward others by making them aware about the impact of their actions.

Understanding the impact of children's and young people's self-harm on parental well-being: a systematic literature review of qualitative and quantitative findings.

Self-harm in children and young people is increasing. Parents are vital in supporting young people; however, parents may experience distress linked to the self-harm. Previous reviews have highlighted the emotional impact and need for information and support, however, have not elucidated the relationships between these themes, nor examined the quantitative data examining parents' well-being. We conducted a mixed methods review, with qualitative meta-synthesis focusing on links between themes and quantitative synthesis of parental well-being findings, including pooled means. PsycInfo, Medline, EMBASE, AMED, CINHAL and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant records. References of included studies were also searched. Every abstract was screened by two authors. Data were extracted by one author and checked by another. We identified 39 reports of 32 studies: 16 with qualitative data and 17 with quantitative data (one had both). Qualitative findings showed how parents' emotions were associated to their knowledge and beliefs about self-harm. Parents' emotions often evidenced the need to self-care, but emotions of guilt reduced engagement in self-care. How parents supported their young person was linked to their knowledge, and the management of their own emotions, and influenced if they could engage in self-care. Quantitative findings were mixed, however suggested poor general mental health amongst these parents. Further good quality quantitative studies are needed, with measurement of psychological mechanisms that may underpin parental distress. Current evidence supports peer-support and interventions that go beyond information provision to address the connected factors of knowledge, emotion, self-care, and parenting behaviours.

Moral Disengagement in Counseling Psychologists in Situations of Professional Interaction with Clients

The focus of this research is moral disengagement as an internal mechanism of unethical behavior. In this work, it was studied in the context of the psychological counseling of Russian psychologists, in particular, in situations of professional interaction that can bring a potential threat to professional and personal identity. Moral disengagement serves to protect one’s self-concept and cope with unpleasant emotions. The study sample consisted of 200 people. Online survey and in-depth semi-structured interview methods were used to collect data. Results indicated a significant relationship between moral disengagement and empathy, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and psychological mindedness. Cluster analysis allowed to identify four profiles of respondents with different combinations of moral disengagement and personality factors. Thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with respondents from the selected groups made it possible to describe in detail of moral disengagement in situations of professional interaction among psychologists from the selected groups. Namely, factors accompanying high rates of moral disengagement were identified: lack of emphasis on the benefits of counseling for the client, self-accusation of the psychologist, the psychologist’s experience of professional failure, stigmatization of the client by the psychologist, confrontation with the client perceived by the psychologist, strong emotions of guilt, resentment and anger, difficulties with management of emotional states, self-defense motive, behavior associated with the risks of exploitation and harm to clients. This study not only deepens the understanding of the phenomenology of moral disengagement, but can also help reduce the risks of exploitation and harm to clients by increasing the awareness of psychologists regarding the operation of moral disengagement in situations of professional interaction.

Beyond sugar: Exploring the influence of health and naturalness framing on attitudes towards products with sweet proteins in Europe

Amidst rising obesity rates in the EU and the significant public health impact of excessive sugar consumption, the debate on reducing sugar through reformulation with sweet proteins derived from precision fermentation gains prominence, presenting a viable alternative to traditional sugars and conventional sweeteners. We conducted two studies to investigate the effects of health (emphasizing sugar reduction) versus naturalness (highlighting sweet proteins as alternatives to artificial sweeteners) message framing on the acceptance of products reformulated with sweet proteins. Study 1 (N = 296, Denmark) evaluated the impact of health and naturalness message framing on attitudes towards such reformulations. Study 2, in a cross-cultural sample (N = 3,000 Denmark, Germany, and Poland), tested the mediating role of health perceptions and the moderating effects of BMI and guilt (Study 2a), as well as naturalness perceptions, sweetener use, and pleasure (Study 2b) on product attitudes. Results of Study 1 indicated that healthiness perceptions had a more persuasive influence than naturalness perceptions. The cross-cultural findings of Studies 2a and 2b revealed that BMI, sweetener usage frequency, anticipatory guilt, and pleasure can modulate these effects. These insights suggest that while both perceived healthiness and naturalness shape attitudes towards sweet protein-enriched products, the significance of health perceptions prevails, with anticipatory emotions of guilt enhancing this influence, particularly when sweet proteins substitute added sugar. Such evidence holds substantial implications for strategies aimed at reducing sugar consumption and fostering the acceptance of products containing alternative sweeteners.

Experiences and Coping Mechanisms to Deal with Difficult Emotions among Women in Early Adulthood: A Qualitative Study

Difficult emotions are defined as the emotions that are considered to have negative connotations. Researches showed that there are some significant differences in the way difficult emotions are dealt with among genders. This study explored these emotions in women and also focused on finding out strategies that women use to effectively deal with these emotions. A qualitative exploratory research design was used in this study. The sampling technique used in this research study was convenient sampling. The participants included seven female early adults in their 20’s (Age range 21-29; M=25, SD=1.3). Semi-structured, in-depth interviews of almost 60 minutes long were conducted. The collected data was then analyzed through thematic analysis method. Codes, themes, super-themes and clusters were generated after conducting thematic analysis. The results of the study include 5 clusters i.e. “the difficult emotion of sadness”, “the difficult emotion of anger”, “the difficult emotion of fear”, “the difficult emotion of guilt” and “the difficult emotion of grief”. Along with this, after analysis 10 super themes were generated i.e. “causes of sadness”, “coping strategies for sadness”, “causes of anger”, “coping strategies for anger’, “causes of fear”, “coping strategies of fear”, “causes of guilt”, “coping strategies of guilt”, “causes of grief” and “coping strategies of grief”. Two of the themes among all the themes generated in the current study i.e. “challenging thoughts” and “using religious strategies” were found to be common coping strategies among women to deal with all the difficult emotions explored in the current study. Quantitative studies should be conducted and experimental studies should also be done to further provide pieces of evidence for the level of effectiveness of each coping technique, to get more objective results and how much of a long-term effect these strategies have on the individual. Similar studies should also be done with men.

Targeting young driver emotions can reduce their cellphone distractions

ObjectiveThis study sought to evaluate the relationship between young drivers’ intention to engage in cellphone distractions while driving and their emotions towards the associated risks. First, we assessed whether the emotions of guilt, shame, and fear are associated with young drivers’ intention to engage in cellphone distractions, through an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model. Second, we evaluated whether road signs that may evoke these negative emotions reduce cellphone use intentions among young drivers. MethodsAn online survey was conducted with young drivers (18 to 25 years old) from Ontario, Canada. 403 responses were collected, of which, 99 responses were used to evaluate the first objective and all 403 responses were used to evaluate the second objective. ResultsAnticipating feelings of guilt, shame, and fear negatively predicted the intention to engage in cellphone distractions, above and beyond the standard TPB constructs (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control). When prompted with potentially emotion-evoking road signs (children crossing, my mom/dad works here), an increase in anticipated feelings of these emotions corresponded with lower intention to engage in cellphone distractions. ConclusionCountermeasures that target young driver emotions toward distracted driving risks may be effective in reducing their distraction engagement. Future studies in more controlled environments can investigate causal relationships between emotions and distracted driving among young drivers.

Defining conceptual boundaries of moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder in military population: A systematic review

Moral injury (MI) is one of the main emotional distress in military personnel. Findings suggest that in wartime there are an endless number of potentially morally injurious events, which determine maladaptive cognitions, moral emotions of guilt and shame, and inefficient behaviour. Notwithstanding the strong association between MI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) recognized in the number of studies, there is still a gap of accurate data aligned with identifying the differences between MI and PTSD in terms of treatment and healing. This study aims to establish conceptual boundaries of moral injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and systematically review the empirical literature on them in military personnel. Specifically, we explored and summarized co-occurrence of MI and PTSD in military personnel and evaluated the association between MI and PTSD, as well with other emotional distress. The results indicate that the key aspects of comparison of MI and PTSD include definition and symptomology, measurement, neural underpinning, and treatment. Considering the consequences of poor social well-being, emotional sufferings and inefficient behavioral patterns, treatments focusing on MI separately from PTSD-focused models are much needed. Acknowledgements This study is a part of the Moral Injury and Healing of Combatants: Neuropsychological Correlates and Psychological Interventions project funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (2022-2023). Disclosure statement No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Why do people (not) share guilt with others?

ABSTRACT Do people share their feelings of guilt with others and, if so, what are the reasons for doing this or not doing this? Even though the social sharing of negative emotional experiences, such as regret, has been extensively studied, not much is known about whether people share feelings of guilt and why. We report three studies exploring these questions. In Study 1, we re-analysed data about sharing guilt experiences posted on a social website called “Yahoo Answers”, and found that people share intrapersonal as well as interpersonal guilt experiences with others online. Study 2 found that the main motivations of sharing guilt (compared with the sharing of regret) were “venting”, “clarification and meaning”, and “gaining advice”. Study 3 found that people were more likely to share experiences of interpersonal guilt and more likely to keep experiences of intrapersonal guilt to themselves. Together, these studies contribute to a further understanding of the social sharing of the emotion guilt.

Racialized Emotions When Thinking about Slavery: Associations Between Group Identification and Feelings of Threat, Shame, and Guilt Among White Americans

This paper highlights the relationship between group identification and racialized emotions among white Americans when asked to think about slavery on U.S. soil. Previous scholarship focuses on the consequences of such emotions or stimuli that increase them; however, there is limited work focusing on threat as a racialized emotion, or more broadly who is likely to experience heightened emotions when asked to think about historical racial violence that implicates their group. Using Group Position Theory and Identity Theory, I elevate work on racial threat as an emotion, and demonstrate how it is linked to white Americans’ group identification with their racial, national, and class identities. Then I compare this relationship to other commonly studied emotions—guilt and shame—to demonstrate threat’s unique relationship with these identities. Using survey data collected from a Survey Sampling International panel ( n = 869), I find that feelings of threat are maximized among white Americans who strongly identify with their racial and national identities. In contrast, guilt is heightened among whites who strongly identify with their racial identity, but weakly identify with their national identity, while shame has no significant relationship with these identities. Feelings of threat are also more likely in respondents who self-identify as members of the lower or working class (in comparison to the middle class). The results highlight one way that threat is a distinct emotional experience for white Americans when compared to other emotions. I conclude by discussing how understanding emotions as an outcome of white Americans’ self-perceptions of their identities as group members stands to advance the study of intergroup relations and racism in the United States.