Shame-Proneness, Guilt-Proneness, and Interpersonal Problem Solving: a Social Cognitive Analysis

Abstract

Research has found a negative relationship between proneness to experience shame and problematic relationships, but no relationship between proneness to guilt and relationship adjustment or maladjustment (Tangney, 1995; Tangney & Dearing, 2002). Social cognitive theory suggests that a reason for the interpersonal problem of shame-prone people is that shame impairs people's ability to generate effective solutions to interpersonal problems and/or diminishes confidence (self-efficacy) in one's ability to implement those solutions. In a study of 233 undergraduates, shame-proneness was negatively correlated with the quality of self-generated solutions to common interpersonal problems, self-efficacy for implementing these solutions, and with the expected effectiveness of those solutions. Guilt-proneness was positively correlated with quality of solutions, self-efficacy for implementing the solutions, the expected effectiveness of the solutions, and with the desire to solve the interpersonal conflict. Findings support and extend previous findings on shame-proneness, guilt-proneness, and interpersonal effectiveness.