Feeling One Thing and Doing Another: How Expressions of Guilt and Shame Influence Hypocrisy Judgment

Abstract

The present study investigated how people, as uninvolved social observers (i.e., those not affected by the emotion expresser’s behavior), judge hypocrisy in a target who publicly expresses their self-conscious emotions (i.e., shame and guilt) after making an immoral decision, then repeats the same immoral behavior again. Results across the two studies conducted showed that participants viewed the target as more hypocritical when the target expressed guilt (vs. shame) for their past misdeed and then committed the same act again. The present study suggests that social perceivers tend to infer expressions of guilt (and of shame to a lesser degree) as signaling future changes, which is reflected in judgments of hypocrisy. The study further discusses implications for the social functions of emotional expression and communication.

Integrating Guilt and Shame into the Self-Concept: The Influence of Future Opportunities

“…In this sense, understanding the interplay between self-conscious emotions, such as guilt and shame, and their integration into the self-concept, particularly in the context of future opportunities, presents a significant question regarding intrapersonal and interpersonal learning. By situating shame and guilt in a future-specific context [ 25 , 26 ], this study distinguishes the implications of guilt and shame for self-integration and identity development. The role of future opportunities in the integration process highlights the dynamic nature of the self-concept, which is not only reflective of past experiences but also shaped by the anticipation of future selves (e.g., [ 49 ]).…”

“…Furthermore, such differences between shame and guilt in terms of future behavioral changes are reflected in the inferences people make based on others’ expressions of shame and guilt. For example, Choi [ 25 , 26 ] showed that people expect a greater level of future behavioral change (i.e., the intention to make reparations) from a target person who expresses guilt rather than shame for their misdeeds. In conclusion, the converging evidence shows that, when individuals experience guilt (vs. shame), they have a greater potential to change their wronged past behavior.…”

“…Connecting shame and guilt to the status of future opportunities, previous research showed that guilt-prone people are more likely to consider distant future consequences, whereas shame-prone people are less likely to consider the consequences of current actions that are distant in the future [ 41 ], suggesting that guilt is more sensitive than shame to future opportunities. Recently, Choi [ 25 ] suggested that placing guilt and shame in a future-relevant context is an effective way to distinguish the subtle differences between guilt and shame in the implications for future changes. Shame would not benefit from having future opportunities, because it would not matter for a shameful individual to have such an opportunity.…”

Consideration of Future Consequences Affects the Perception and Interpretation of Self-Conscious Emotions

“…However, research has shown that there is no difference in people’s expectations for a target’s future behavioral change when the target expresses shame versus guilt [ 9 ]. Recently, Choi [ 10 ] suggested that social observers need additional contextual information to distinguish any subtle differences in the social meanings of shame and guilt. Participants in Choi [ 10 ] judged a target person to be more hypocritical when the target publicly expressed guilt (vs. shame) after making an immoral decision, and then committed the same act again.…”

“…Recently, Choi [ 10 ] suggested that social observers need additional contextual information to distinguish any subtle differences in the social meanings of shame and guilt. Participants in Choi [ 10 ] judged a target person to be more hypocritical when the target publicly expressed guilt (vs. shame) after making an immoral decision, and then committed the same act again. Such difference in hypocrisy ratings reflects different levels of expectation of behavioral change, as hypocrisy judgment involves inconsistency detection.…”