Defend or repair? Explaining responses to in-group moral failure by disentangling feelings of shame, rejection, and inferiority

J Pers Soc Psychol. 2012 May;102(5):941-60. doi: 10.1037/a0027233. Epub 2012 Feb 20.

Abstract

Research on shame about in-group moral failure has yielded paradoxical results. In some studies, shame predicts self-defensive motivations to withdraw. In other studies, shame predicts pro-social motivations, such as restitution. We think that this paradox can be explained by disentangling the numerous appraisals and feelings subsumed under the label "shame." In 2 studies, we asked community samples of Norwegians about their in-group's discrimination against the Tater minority. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the measures of the appraisals and feelings used in Study 1 (N = 206) and Study 2 (N = 173). In both studies, an appraisal of the in-group as suffering a moral defect best predicted felt shame, whereas an appraisal of concern for condemnation of the in-group best predicted felt rejection. In both studies, felt rejection best predicted self-defensive motivation, whereas felt shame best predicted pro-social motivation. Implications for conceptualizing and studying shame are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Compensation and Redress
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Likelihood Functions
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Minority Groups
  • Models, Psychological
  • Morals*
  • Motivation*
  • Norway
  • Prejudice*
  • Psychological Distance*
  • Psychology, Social
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Self Concept*
  • Shame*
  • Social Identification