Shaming Theory Research Articles

Studies on the functions and mechanisms of shame and pride: A systematic examination of the relationship between shame/pride and concealment/exposure behaviors.

A series of four studies systematically investigated the boundary conditions of the shame-concealment/pride-exposure relationship through an experimental paradigm. Experiment 1 developed an experimental procedure to assess the shame/pride-concealment/exposure relationship. Shame and pride were induced by randomly assigning participants to either low or high fictitious IQ score conditions, followed by an assessment of concealment and exposure behaviors. The results suggested a strong relationship between failure and concealment, as well as between success and exposure behaviors, a finding that was replicated in the subsequent three experiments. Experiment 2 examined the sensitivity of the shame-concealment relationship to changes in social status by manipulating the relevance of those to whom IQ scores would be disclosed. The results suggested weak to moderate evidence for the effect of status relevance on the shame-concealment relationship. Experiment 3 investigated whether concealment was specific to IQ scores or generalized to other types of information. Moderate evidence was found for the generalization of concealment beyond IQ scores. Experiment 4 distinguished between the effects of receiving a low/high score, the disclosure of the score, and the anticipation of its disclosure on shame feelings and concealment behavior. Results suggested moderate support for the effect of receiving the score on the elicitation of shame and concealment, with inconclusive support for the effect of disclosure compared to anticipated disclosure. The relevance of these results to theories of shame and pride, intra- and interpersonal determinants, and a functional perspective on emotions is discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

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).

Implementation of Restorative Justice in Traffic Accident Cases in Sukabumi City Viewed from Reintegrative Shaming Theory

Implementation of Restorative Justice in Traffic Accident Cases in Sukabumi City Viewed from Reintegrative Shaming Theory

Shame, Gaze and Voice: A Lacanian Perspective

AbstractThis paper proposes a Lacanian theory of shame linked to the era of Lacan's work starting with Seminar X and the invention of the object a. From a Lacanian perspective, shame is not evoked by the exposure of a deficit, but rather by the exposure and witnessing of the divided subject's constitutive lack. This paper proposes that the affect of shame is an index pointing to the divided subject's structural lack when it is exposed and witnessed by object a instantiated as the gaze of the scopic drive and the voice of the invocatory drive. Since shame can freeze speech as well as provoke flight from the analytic work, we suggest that it is helpful for the clinician to understand how the structure of shame manifests in the patient's speech and in the transference. Clinical examples are given throughout. The paper concludes with a case discussion of Lacanian analytic work with a female patient confronted with multiple existential dilemmas that evoked shame in relationship to her body, sexuality and death.

Shame in social interaction: Descriptions of experiences of shame by participants with high or low levels of narcissistic traits.

In this study, we investigate how personal experiences about shameful events are described in face-to-face social interaction, and how these stories differ between participants who have either high or low levels of narcissistic personality traits. The dataset consists of 22 dyadic conversations where the participants describe events where they felt ashamed of themselves. We found the narratives to vary in terms of five dimensions. With narcissistic individuals, the default narrative tended to exhibit a cluster of characteristics that gather at one end of these dimensions: (1) weak expressions of shame; (2) located in the story-world; (3) low level of reflexivity as well as; (4) responsibility of the described event; and (5) a general level of description. We discuss the findings in relation to sociological and psychological theories of shame and suggest that individuals with narcissistic personality traits are more inclined to use suppressive conversational practices in their treatment of shame, thus providing a "window" to these interactional practices.

Shame containment theory—a new approach to shame

Shame is often overlooked in therapy in favour of anxiety and guilt (Lansky & Morrison, 1998; Solomon, 2021). Indeed, there is little emphasis on shame within psycho- therapy training and a noticeable lack of recognition to its relationship with attachment (Solomon, 2021). And yet, shame is described as an attachment emotion by some shame theorists (Lewis, 1971; Schore, 1991). Shame is a complex emotion that is often hidden, making it difficult to work with and can leave clients feeling frustrated that they are stuck in the same relational patterns. Ultimately, unacknowledged shame in the therapy room and the understanding of how shame influences self-perception can be detrimental to thera- peutic outcome. This article introduces a new theory of shame: shame containment theory (SCT). The premise being that shame is vital to self-protection and attachment. By exploring the history of shame in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and presenting current models of shame, this article will demonstrate how SCT is a needed addition to contemporary shame theory, with particular relevance to attachment theory. Using a brief case study, this article will demonstrate how SCT relates to presentations in the therapy room. This lens on shame as an attachment emotion offers therapists a new model with which to understand and work with shame.

Interdependency, Perceived Shame, and Probability of Wrongdoing Among Chinese Students: A Partial Test of the Reintegrative Shaming Theory

Compared with other mainstream criminological theories, Reintegrative Shaming Theory (RST) draws insufficient empirical evaluations. Given RST’s unique attention to non-Western societies and the significance of shaming in Chinese society, China provides a strategic setting for RST’s empirical assessment. Utilizing a Chinese youth sample, this study explores the association between interdependency and the probability of wrongdoing, and the mediating role of perceived shame. We find that strong school attachment is directly associated with the reduced likelihood of wrongdoing, and indirectly via perceived shame. The effects of family and neighborhood attachments on perceived shame and the probability of wrongdoing are insignificant. The results lend partial support to RST and highlight the essential role of school in children’s development in the Chinese context.

Hontologie: A Lacanian theory of shame

This article develops a Lacanian theory of shame in dialogue with the work generated by shame pioneers in the post-Freudian traditions. The article’s hypothesis is that shame is an index pointing to ontological lack. The neologism hontologie combines the French words for shame and ontology; it is a negative ontology proper to Lacan’s theory that the subject lacks an essential core of identity or unity. Key concepts used to theorize shame in the psychoanalytic literature are examined, including the self, ego, and the gaze. These concepts are revised and incorporated into a Lacanian theory of shame starting with Lacan’s mirror stage through the evolution of his work to include the object a, the partial drives, and the fundamental fantasy. In a cross-theoretical dialogue, shame is described in terms of the Imaginary and Symbolic registers. The article also addresses the misconception that Lacanians ignore the importance of affect.

Deradicalisation and national security

There is no gainsaying that the Northeast of Nigeria is extensively riddled by extreme views and violence, oiled by poverty, literacy disconnect, unregulated radical clerics, ungoverned spaces, widening literacy gap, and unemployment confronting the population and these further aggravate the vulnerability of Nigeria’s national security. It was against this background that this study adopted the reintegrative shaming theory to investigate the nexus between deradicalisation and national security. This study decomposed national security into terrorism and proliferation of small arms and light weapons, using the lens of deradicalisation process under Operation Safe Corridor and Sulhu. This study employed exploratory research design with reliance on publicly available archive documents. The study relies solely on secondary data. The research is conducted by examining literature concerning deradicalisation, terrorism and small and light weapon proliferation. The literature was obtained through searches in publicly available material. Literature from non-serial publications, official reports, and conferences has been included particularly if they have been cited by other references in connection with national security. Findings from the study showed that deradicalisation positively influence counterterrorism campaign by the military, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.Result from study also showed that deradicalisation influence onproliferation of small arms and light weapon remained largely unsettled. The study recommends that government should create holistic buy-ins into the operation safe corridor, whichshould be broadened and not siloed as presently seen in Nigeria by the military, which has a low buy in point, for local community involvement. The study also recommends the Nigeria Security architecture should encourage decentralization of commands and control closer to the people by unbundling security from exclusive list into the concurrent list, so as to properly situate security closer to the people and not the elite alone.

Paradox explored: Climate shame, moral agency, the church, and the birds

AbstractThis article explores shame and moral agency in relationship to the climate catastrophe, and the moral situation of the world's relatively high‐consuming people who are implicated in greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. The author complexifies that situation in the conundrums of climate colonialism, climate racism, structural sin, and the moral ambiguities they raise, including such questions as: “What are the moral demands of climate sin grounded in historically rooted economic systems that one did not create but upon which the material conditions of one's life depend? To what extent, if any, is the individual morally accountable for the social structures of which one is a part and from which one benefits?” From there, the essay moves to its central question. It is whether shame theory might help to enable moral agency for what is desperately needed now by people of climate privilege and economic privilege in the North Atlantic world—wise and courageous action to address climate change and climate injustice. The article probes shame theory for clues to what disables moral agency and what catalyzes it. The author finds in shame theory pathways for transforming shame‐based moral inertia into moral agency. Those pathways suggest vital roles for the church.

The Effect of Deviant Workplace Behavior on Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Organizational Shame and Moderating Role of Perceived Organizational Support.

It is not uncommon for employees to engage in deviant workplace behavior. Several studies have been conducted on its antecedent variables and negative effects on the organization and its members. However, the effects on employees' emotions and behavior have been ignored. According to the affective events theory and framework of organizational shame, this study examined how deviant workplace behavior affects employee performance, explored how organizational shame mediates, and investigated the role of perceived organizational support moderators. This study was completed by 435 Chinese employees in total. The results showed the following. (1) Deviant workplace behavior significantly positively predicted organizational shame and negatively predicted job performance. Organizational shame positively predicted job performance. (2) Organizational shame mediated the relationship between deviant workplace behavior and job performance, and there were gender differences in this mediating role. (3) Perceived organizational support weakened the negative effect of deviant workplace behavior on job performance. As a result, this study proves the applicability of the framework of organizational shame in a Chinese context and provides support for the affective events theory, from the perspective of actors. Furthermore, this study offers insight into how to ameliorate the negative effects of deviant workplace behavior.

Exploring implicit theories of shame: developing a new scale assessing shame-related beliefs

Exploring implicit theories of shame: developing a new scale assessing shame-related beliefs

Getting to Where We Need to Get: A Meaningful Step Towards Understanding and Remedying White Privilege

ABSTRACT Anen’s paper adeptly uses a racial lens to psychoanalytically examine an important but neglected aspect of racism, namely how white privilege is deeply rooted in narcissistic states of mind. The white psyche and corollaries such as having whiteness as a psychological condition are a current focus of psychoanalytic writers. Anen’s approach adds significantly to this burgeoning inquiry by adapting additional psychoanalytic tools to the inquiry. He ably stretches established and familiar theories of narcissism, shame, internalization, and capacity for aloneness to interrogate white privilege. His additional perspectives give the analytic thinker more adequate scaffolding to hold the tensions of exploring the polarizing topic of white privilege. The openness of Anen’s inquiries and his highly illuminating case example also make room for additional questions such as whether the tools he offers adequately address the underlying hatred of racism and one of its weapons, namely, white privilege.

The Impact of Stigmatization on Behavior Change among Young Adults from First Love Kenya

Family reintegration is one of the processes that are critical and sensitive after children go through rehabilitation and psychological recovery. Many young people reunite with their biological parents or guardians after attaining the legal age of being termed as young adults. Since reintegration is not an event but a process, many things come to play. Several young adults who have reintegrated with their families after healing, treatment, recovery, and stabilization in the children’s homes exhibit disruptive behaviour and psychological disorders after being reunited with their guardians or families. This study is anchored in reintegrative shaming theory, Goffman’s Stigma theory and behavioural change theory. The study aimed to examine the impact of stigmatization on behaviour change among young adults from First Love Kenya. The study group consisted of 92 respondents: 71 young adults, one children officer, and 20 parents/guardians. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires and an interview guide. The research instruments were validated by a reliability test and was found to be credible. Upon collection, the data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. Descriptive statistics were percentages, frequency counts, mean and standard deviation. At the same time, the inferential statistics tested the hypotheses using Pearson’s correlation test to correlate family reintegration and behaviour change. Regression analysis was then used to measure the effect of shaming, stigmatization, and reintegration on behaviour change. Results showed that stigmatization had a negative and significant impact on change of behaviour among young adults (β = -.39 p = .000<.05). Further, reintegration had a negative though insignificant impact on change of behaviour among young adults (p =.985>.05). The study concluded that shaming and stigmatization contributes significantly to negative change of behaviour among young adults. The study recommended the need for stakeholders to review the policies on reintegration. The focus should be on how to eliminate defensiveness and attitude of worthlessness among young adults; how to enhance social skills among young adults, and how to deal with depression, rebellion and aggression; and how to enhance confidence, self-esteem, and acceptance among young adults. Keywords: Stigmatization, behaviour change, young adults

European tragedy as requiem, ruin, revenant in Magnet Theatre’s Antigone (not quite/quiet) and Thomas Köck’s antigone. a requiem

Offering a comparative case study of two different postcolonial responses to Sophocles’s tragedy Antigone from European and African perspectives, this article brings together Magnet Theatre’s Cape Town production of Antigone (not quite/quiet) with Thomas Köck’s play antigone. a requiem that premiered almost simultaneously in September 2019 in Hannover, Germany. Both re-examine Sophocles’s tragedy to come to terms with their respective colonial histories and postcolonial challenges: while Magnet Theatre engages with the ancient material to reflect on the difficulties of fully overcoming the legacies of colonialism in post-apartheid South Africa, Köck explores the afterlives of ‘thebaneuropean’ colonialism as manifested in current European migration policies. Comparing the adaptation principle of Magnet Theatre’s ‘ruinous’, fragmenting approach to the literary and theatrical archive of European colonialism to Köck’s postdramatic recomposition of Antigone as a requiem for migrant deaths and for European tragedy itself, the article discusses the productions in their respective contexts of political protest movements. Drawing on cultural theory of ungrievability, domopolitics, and postcolonial shame, it explores the central functions of the chorus – indecisive Europeans on the verge of anagnorisis in Köck’s play, the post-apartheid South African generation caught between rage and disillusionment in Magnet Theatre’s production – and as well as the prominence of Ismene as a problematic survivor figure in both adaptations.

Falling for Social Engineering: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Engineering Policy Recommendations

The current study examines recommendations for addressing organizational members who fall prey to social engineering as a matter of organizational policy through a qualitative analysis of interviews with organizational IT security administrators, IT security auditors, and social engineers. The results of this analysis indicate that participants had an aversion to punitive approaches to security failures. Instead, they tended to favor education as a more pragmatic and humane solution. Others argued that emphasis should be given to rewarding positive security behavior over punishing lapses. Few participants contended that there is a time and place for harsher sanctions but generally only for repeat offenders. Implications for security policy, deterrence theory, and reintegrative shaming theory are considered.

Shame-Proneness Uniquely Predicts Social Evaluative Symptoms: Considering the Sociometer Theory of Shame

Introduction: Whereas the act-person model of shame emphasizes negative self-appraisals, the sociometer theory roots shame in real or imagined social evaluation. If so, shame might increase vulnerability to psychosocial stressors and manifest in social anxiety specifically. We investigated how shame-proneness predicted concurrent symptoms and responses to daily interpersonal stressors. Method: A total of 159 participants (including those meeting anxiety/depression criteria in clinical interviews; n = 58) completed baseline measures of shame- and guilt-proneness, trait negative affect (NA), and social anxiety, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder symptoms, followed by stressor diaries for 5 weeks (1,923 diaries). Results: Even with NA and guilt-proneness controlled, shame-proneness uniquely predicted concurrent social anxiety and prospectively predicted experiencing social evaluation. Unique links to depression and nonspecific anxiety and worry were less consistent. Discussion: Specificity in shame-social evaluation links supported sociometer theory, Results have implications both for shame theory and clinical practice with shame-prone individuals.

Social Control in the Digital Transformation of Society: A Case Study of the Chinese Social Credit System

The Chinese social credit system (SCS) is a digital sociotechnical credit system that rewards and sanctions the economic and social behaviors of individuals and companies. This article uses classic social-control theories—the shaming theory and the labeling theory—to analyze the SCS, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the Chinese social-control approach to the digital transformation of society. Our research relies not only on government documents and media reports, but also on first-hand data collected from in-depth interviews conducted in China. We found that the perceived effectiveness of the shaming and labeling mechanisms is enhanced by the design of the SCS framework and the assistance of digital technology but weakened by a lack of transparency and questionable justification criteria, as well as privacy and fairness concerns.

Blame and culpability in explaining changes in perceptions of corporate social responsibility and credibility

AbstractThis study uses the sequential updating mechanism and draws on several theories, such as the attribution theory, the self‐perception theory and the shame theory, to explain the interplay between consumers' perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate credibility. It contends that both CSR and corporate credibility undergo the sequential updating mechanism. A two‐stage model (before and after a corporate public relation [PR] crisis) is used to investigate how individuals' perceptions of CSR and credibility are determined by their blame attribution to the firm, their self‐culpability, as well as their prior perceptions of CSR and credibility. To test the research hypotheses, four samples were collected from Spain (224 and 244) and the United Kingdom (307 and 236). Respondents had to state their opinions in relation to a Spanish and a British company operating in the fashion industry. For the model estimation, the SmartPLS 3 was used. The results show that consumers' perception of a firm's liability has a significant impact on their feeling of culpability, which in turn strongly and negatively affects their perceptions of the firm's CSR and credibility. In addition, consumers' prior perceptions of CSR and credibility play a relevant role in regulating and offsetting the final effect of a corporate PR crisis.

The evolution of shame and its display.

The shame system appears to be natural selection's solution to the adaptive problem of information-triggered reputational damage. Over evolutionary time, this problem would have led to a coordinated set of adaptations - the shame system - designed to minimise the spread of negative information about the self and the likelihood and costs of being socially devalued by others. This information threat theory of shame can account for much of what we know about shame and generate precise predictions. Here, we analyse the behavioural configuration that people adopt stereotypically when ashamed - slumped posture, downward head tilt, gaze avoidance, inhibition of speech - in light of shame's hypothesised function. This behavioural configuration may have differentially favoured its own replication by (a) hampering the transfer of information (e.g. diminishing audiences' tendency to attend to or encode identifying information - shame camouflage) and/or (b) evoking less severe devaluative responses from audiences (shame display). The shame display hypothesis has received considerable attention and empirical support, whereas the shame camouflage hypothesis has to our knowledge not been advanced or tested. We elaborate on this hypothesis and suggest directions for future research on the shame pose.