title: Two faces of shame: the roles of shame and guilt in predicting recidivism.
abstract: Psychological research using mostly cross-sectional methods calls into question the presumed function of shame as an inhibitor of immoral or illegal behavior. In a longitudinal study of 476 jail inmates, we assessed shame proneness, guilt proneness, and externalization of blame shortly after incarceration. We interviewed participants (N = 332) 1 year after release into the community, and we accessed official arrest records (N = 446). Guilt proneness negatively and directly predicted reoffense in the 1st year after release; shame proneness did not. Further mediational modeling showed that shame proneness positively predicted recidivism via its robust link to externalization of blame. There remained a direct effect of shame on recidivism: Unimpeded by defensive externalization of blame, shame inhibited recidivism. Items assessing a motivation to hide were primarily responsible for this pattern. Overall, our results suggest that the pain of shame may have two faces-one with destructive potential and the other with constructive potential.
authors.affiliation: George Mason University.
authors.forename: June P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tangney
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stuewig
authors.forename: Andres G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D003415:Crime / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012649:Self Concept; D012752:Shame; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: antisocial behavior; emotions