The Positive Side of Negative Emotions:
The Role of Guilt and Shame in Coping with Interpersonal Conflicts
Hadar Behrendt and Rachel Ben-Ari
Bar-Ilan University
Introduction
Main Results
Emotions are among the central, yet less researched, elements
in conflict processes (van Kleef, De Dreu & Manstead, 2004).
While acknowledgement of the centrality of emotions in behavior
generally, and during conflict specifically, has increased over the
past two decades the field still suffers from several deficits (Barry,
Smithy-Fulmer & Goates, 2006): Most of the research focuses on
negotiation situations rather than on situations of interpersonal
conflict; the literature widely employs a dichotomous approach to
emotions, either negative or positive, without differentiating within
each of these categories; and emotions are usually
operationalized as external to the conflict situation being studied,
rather than deriving from the conflict itself.
The present study aimed to address these shortfalls by
examining the contribution of two negative emotions, guilt
and shame, to coping with interpersonal conflict.
Study 1: Path analysis corroborated the hypothesis of the model
regarding the different mediating roles of guilt and shame in the
relationship between coherence and conflict coping styles, in the
following manner:
Integrating
.31***
guilt
-.26***
Competing
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Study 3: It was found that the response of the other side,
either assigning or assuming guilt, influenced the degree and
quality of guilt:
Individuals felt guiltier when the other side assigned guilt
(M=3.30), than when the other side assumed guilt on
themselves (M=2.81), (F(1,78)=4.19, p<.04, Eta=.05).
When the other side assigned guilt, individuals described more
sense of exposure (χ² =6.86, df=1, p<.05 ) and reported more
rumination (F(1,78)=4.67, P<.03, Eta=.05), than when the other
side assumed guilt on themselves.
.20*
-.14*
coherence
Avoiding
-.30***
Conclusions & Contributions
.21*
-.37***
Research Program
The research included three studies:
Study 1 (N = 199) examined a mediation model in which guilt
and shame mediate differentially between personality resources
on the one hand and conflict coping styles on the other hand.
Study 2 (N = 53) examined the causal relationship between guilt
and shame and conflict coping styles. In addition, this study
investigated several characteristics that make up the unique
experience of each of these emotions which may explain this
relationship.
Study 3 (N =82) examined the influence of state variables on
guilt during a conflict
shame
.19*
.21*
-.25***
* p< .05 ** p< .01 *** p< .001
Obliging
AGFI = .96, RMR = .01, (χ² = 2.61, df=4, p=.62),
Figure 1. mediation model
Study 2: The findings revealed the causal relationship between
state guilt and the cooperative coping style and between state
shame and non-cooperative coping styles. In addition, findings
from the content analysis revealed the distinction between
experiences of guilt and of shame on the basis of the following
categories as shown in figure no. 2:
Method
100%
Study 1: self-report questionnaires:
Personality: The Sense of Coherence Scale - SOC (Antonovsky,
1987)
Guilt & Shame: The Test of Self-Conscious Affect - TOSCA-3
(Tangney, Dearing, Wagner & Gramzow, 2000)
Conflict Coping Styles: Negotiation Strategy Inventory-NSI
(Reisman, 2006)
Social desirability: Social Desirability Scale (Crowne & Marlowe,
1960).
Study 2: content analysis of narrative experiences:
Conflict Coping Styles: Conflict Coping Styles Definitions
Inventory - CSDI (Behrendt, 2008)
Study 3: integration of narrative experiences with self-report
questionnaires:
Guilt and shame: State Shame and Guilt Scale - SSGS-3
(Marschall, Sanftner & Tangney, 1994)
Conflict Coping Styles: Narratives Conflict Style Inventory NCSI (Behrendt, 2008)
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Passiveaggressive
The findings emphasize the differential effect of guilt and
shame on coping with conflict and the adaptive contribution of
guilt, in comparison to shame, to cooperative coping.
Theoretically, the study creates an interdisciplinary
connection between personality psychology, the psychology
of emotions, and the field of conflict research, in a manner
that may deepen insight into personal behavior in conflict
situations.
Methodologically, this research emphasizes the importance
of studying a complex phenomenon such as interpersonal
conflict using qualitative experiences that enable participants
to call up the emotions, thoughts and actions that
accompanied the events, and offers tools for content
analyzing the experiences of guilt and shame and styles of
coping with conflict.
Practically, this work deepens the understanding of the role
of emotions in interpersonal conflict, which can advance more
constructive practices for managing and resolving conflicts.
90%
80%
70%
References
60%
Barry, B., Smithy-Fulmer, I., & Goates, N. (2006). Bargaining with
feelings: Emotionality in and around negotiation. In L. L.
Thompson (Ed.), Negotiation Theory and Research (pp. 99-127).
New-York: Psychology Press.
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40%
30%
20%
Tangney, J. P., & Dearing, R. L. (2002). Shame and Guilt. New
York: The Guilford Press.
10%
0%
Guilt
Shame
Figure 2. Phenomenological differences between guilt and shame
Concern for the other (χ² =28.63, df=1, p<.001)
Concern for self (χ² =23.12, df=1, p<.001)
Sense of exposure (χ² =13.61, df=1, p<.001)
Personal responsibility (χ² =25.76, df=1, p<.000)
Van Kleef, G. A., De Dreu, C. K. W., & Manstead, A. S. R. (2004).
The interpersonal effects of anger and happiness in negotiations.
Interpersonal Relation and Group Processes, 86(1), 57-76.