The Emotional Attributes Questionnaire: Self- and Other-Reports of Guilt and Shame

Author

Heidi L. Eyre, Utah State University

Date of Award

5-1997

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Shame and guilt are considered to be important emotions for empirical study for a variety of reasons. Developmental psychologists are interested in the emergence of shame and guilt as they relate to the child's understanding of societal and familial expectations/norms and the subsequent development of conscience (Zahn-Waxler & Kochanska, 1990). Social psychologists study how guilt and shame are used to create power differentials and restore equity to relationships (Baumeister, Stillwell, & Heatherton, 1994). Finally, clinicians have long thought shame and guilt to be involved in the development of disorders such as anxiety and depression (H.B. Lewis, 1971). However, those within the clinical realm have often used the words "shame" and "guilt" interchangeably, and even the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) fails to draw a clear distinction between the two. Because of the lack of conceptual clarity, there is is also confusion regarding whether shame and guilt are distinct precursors to different disorders.

Recommended Citation

Eyre, Heidi L., "The Emotional Attributes Questionnaire: Self- and Other-Reports of Guilt and Shame" (1997). Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects. 356.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/honors/356