Psychology of Shame

To feel ashamed is perhaps one of the most studied human emotional experiences. Ironically, there is no agreement yet on what people mean when they say that they feel ashamed. This can be reflected not only in the numerous definitions of the feeling but also in the numerous subjective understandings of it. In psychology, there are multiple definitions of shame. For example, Freud argued that shame was a reaction formation against sexual desires. In his eyes, the expression; I feel ashamed should be understood as being in the midst of an internal fight against pleasurable desires. In the later, psychodynamic tradition, the expression I feel ashamed should be understood as a scorning feeling that disable the client. This book discusses the psychology of shame. It explains the connection between shame and eating disorders; the role of shame in intimate and sexual violence; the psychological distress shame may cause in performing artists and athletes; positive interpersonal consequences of shame; the path to gelotophobia; the true meaning of feeling ashamed; and shame and masculinity in early China.