Unpacking shame management in politics: strategies for evoking and steps to mitigate the feeling of shame

Abstract

This paper examines politicians’ publicly displayed emotional responses to the sex affair and resignation of a Member of the European Parliament, József Szájer, from Fidesz, Hungary’s one ruling party. The results of the qualitative analysis indicate that politicians displayed various combinations of self-conscious moral emotions: shame, guilt, pride, and hubris. Inspired by the MOSS-SASD model and the shame compass concept, the research demonstrates that the representatives of the parliamentary opposition discredit Fidesz with shame, guilt, accusations of hubris, and vicarious shame. The ruling parties, in turn, attempted to salvage their reputation via strategies of shame acknowledgment, empathy appeal, shame detachment, and exhibiting pride/hubris. With this illustrative case study, we provide a deeper understanding of political shame management through communication.