title: Relation of shame and guilt to constructive versus destructive responses to anger across the lifespan.
abstract: This study explored the relation of shame proneness and guilt proneness to constructive versus destructive responses to anger among 302 children (Grades 4-6), adolescents (Grades 7-11), 176 college students, and 194 adults. Across all ages, shame proneness was clearly related to maladaptive response to anger, including malevolent intentions; direct, indirect, and displaced aggression; self-directed hostility; and negative long-term consequences. In contrast, guilt proneness was associated with constructive means of handling anger, including constructive intentions, corrective action and non-hostile discussion with the target of the anger, cognitive reappraisals of the target's role, and positive long-term consequences. Escapist-diffusing responses showed some interesting developmental trends. Among children, these dimensions were positively correlated with guilt and largely unrelated to shame; among older participants, the results were mixed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tangney
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hill-Barlow
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Marschall
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gramzow
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000786:Anger; D002648:Child; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011340:Problem Solving; D012752:Shame