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Shame and Guilt, Misconceptions and Controversies: A Critical Review of the Literature

From the Department of Psychology (FF), University of Aarhus (MB), blumsen{at}gmail.com

The literature on shame and guilt is very heterogeneous. Researchers and theorists in the field have used a number of definitions, approaches, and measurement methods, rendering futile any attempt at a comparative analysis. The article reviews the relevant literature and summarizes the different approaches to shame and guilt while highlighting relevant conceptual issues. The literature review is followed by a thorough delineation of the two constructs. Affective, cognitive, and phenomenological definitions are discussed for a fuller understanding of the phenomena. The cognitive attributional theory is discussed and is also used to explain the process of elicitation. The delineation of shame and guilt is followed by a comprehensive discussion of parsimony. In addition to drawing attention to the current multiplicity of definitions in the literature, the article intends to serve as a more unified framework for future studies of shame and guilt.

Key Words: shame • guilt • literature review • definitions • parsimony

This version was published on September 1, 2008

Traumatology, Vol. 14, No. 3, 91-102 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1534765608321070


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