NCJ Number
248131
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2014 Pages: 447-453
Date Published
August 2014
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper provides a review of the literature that examines the link between shame and aggression.
Abstract
Previous research has shown that a strong link exists between shame and aggression, and that anger and aggression have been found to be responses to shame. In this respect, anger and aggression in response to shame may be viewed as any or all of the following: emotion regulation, coping strategies, and evolutionary adaptations. This paper focuses on studies that have examined the links from shame to aggression, as well as the importance of shame-regulation in mediating these links. These studies have identified various models that show the connection between shame and anger/aggression, and the prominent role that shame plays in interpersonal aggression. This paper discusses the evolutionary and psychobiological perspectives that link shame to aggression, as well as strategies for shame-regulation. It is noted that these shame-regulation strategies show the existence of multiple pathways from shame to violence and that these pathways are consistent with the evolutionary perspectives that link shame to aggression. References