Guilt and shame through recipients' eyes: The moderating effect of blame

Roger Giner-Sorolla, Caroline Kamau, Emanuele Castano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Previous research has found that people collectively wronged by an outgroup take insult when its representative offers compensation, and that an expression of shame but not guilt can lower such insult. This experiment showed a moderating factor: strength of outgroup blame. Black community members were participants, presented with an apology for discriminatory searches of Blacks by the police. The effects ? that shame but not guilt reduces insult from compensation ? were replicated only among those who strongly blamed outgroup entities. As before, these effects emerged only on insult rather than satisfaction measures, and only when compensation was offered. When blamed by the public, an official body should therefore consider how much its apology conveys shame rather than guilt.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)88-92
Number of pages5
JournalSocial Psychology
Volume41
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 May 2010
Externally publishedYes

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