Shame and guilt: characterological vs. behavioral self-blame and their relationship to fear of intimacy

The present study investigated the distinct affective experiences of shame and guilt and their relationship to self-blame (characterological vs. behavioral), blame of others, self-derogation, and fear of intimacy. As predicted, shame-proneness was associated with fear of intimacy, suggesting that shame may be an important component in intimacy fears. Moreover, shame-proneness was positively correlated with behavioral, and characterological self-blame, blame of others and self-derogation. This may indicate that shame-prone individuals are more likely to engage in self-derogating thoughts, blame their behavior and their character, as well as others, perhaps making intimacy something to be feared. In contrast, guilt-proneness was not associated with intimacy fears or blaming others for one's actions. These findings highlight the effect that shame-proneness vs. guilt-proneness can have on one's sense of self, with debilitating inter-personal consequences such as fear of intimate connections. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.