The influence of developmental factors on behaviors relevant to shame and guilt in young children

Abstract

The present study explored developmental factors that would contribute to individual differences in behaviors relevant to shame and guilt of young children. The children's behaviors relevant to shame and guilt were observed by an experimental procedure. The children were led to happen to destroy an experimenter's doll, and their behavioral variables relevant to shame and guilt were measured. Their mothers answered the questionnaire tapping developmental factors: children' s temperament, the frequency of maternal disciplines, and the frequency of maternal emotional experiences. A factor analysis of children's behavioral variables revealed that there were apologizing traits and repairing traits. Moreover, children who received more physical punishment were likely to apologize to the experimenter for destroying the doll. Children whose mothers experienced more shame were less likely to repair the broken doll rapidly. Boys who were temperamentally more insistent and expressing more positive emotions were likely to apologize to the experimenter for destroying the doll.