Interdependency, Perceived Shame, and Probability of Wrongdoing Among Chinese Students: A Partial Test of the Reintegrative Shaming Theory

Abstract

Compared with other mainstream criminological theories, Reintegrative Shaming Theory (RST) draws insufficient empirical evaluations. Given RST’s unique attention to non-Western societies and the significance of shaming in Chinese society, China provides a strategic setting for RST’s empirical assessment. Utilizing a Chinese youth sample, this study explores the association between interdependency and the probability of wrongdoing, and the mediating role of perceived shame. We find that strong school attachment is directly associated with the reduced likelihood of wrongdoing, and indirectly via perceived shame. The effects of family and neighborhood attachments on perceived shame and the probability of wrongdoing are insignificant. The results lend partial support to RST and highlight the essential role of school in children’s development in the Chinese context.