This is the first study of guilt from a wide variety of perspectives: psychology, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, evolutionary psychology, anthropology, six major religions, four key moral philosophers, and the law. Katchadourian explores the ways in which guilt functions within individual lives and intimate relationships, looking at behaviors that typically induce guilt in both historical and modern contexts. He examines how the capacity for moral judgments develops within individuals and through evolutionary processes. He then turns to the socio-cultural aspects of guilt and addresses society's attempts to come to terms with guilt as culpability through the legal process. This personal work draws from, and integrates, material from extensive primary and secondary literature. Through the extensive use of literary and personal accounts, it provides an intimate picture of what it is like to experience this universal emotion. Written in clear and engaging prose, with a touch of humor, Guilt should appeal to a wide audience.

This volume reports on the growing body of knowledge on shame and guilt, integrating findings from the authors' original research program with other data emerging from social, clinical, personality, and developmental psychology. Evidence is presented to demonstrate that these universally experienced affective phenomena have significant implications for many aspects of human functioning, with particular relevance for interpersonal relationships. --From publisher's description.

Given their strong theoretical relevance to both individual and interpersonal adjustment and functioning, it is ironic that the "self-conscious" emotions have been among the most neglected in the research literature. In recent years, however, the study of affect has come into its own as a vigorous, respectable, and productive branch of scientific psychology, and with this shift has come a new interest in emotions such as shame, guilt, embarrassment, and pride. This volume provides a comprehensive, in-depth review of the current theoretical and empirical literature on these emotions. It brings together contributions from leading researchers and theoreticians from the fields of developmental psychology, clinical psychology, psychiatry, and sociology, reflecting the emerging coherence in this area of study. The introduction provides a general framework for conceptualization and research on the self-conscious emotions. The book then addresses developmental issues, including the nature of these affective experiences among children, from late infancy to middle childhood, and implications for children's psychosocial functioning. Detailed explorations of the relationship of self-conscious emotions to aspects of social behavior and the social environment and to various types of psychopathology are also presented. Chapters demonstrate how an understanding of self-conscious emotions can greatly enhance the treatment of a wide range of maladaptive patterns of behavior, including marital conflict, depression, anxiety, and antisocial behavior. The final section discusses cross-cultural continuities and discontinuities in self-conscious affect. Throughout, the book highlights the need for innovative and diverse methodologies to systematically study the nature and functions of these feelings. The unique focus on empirical approaches makes this work an invaluable resource for the growing number of researchers interested in the study of self-conscious affect and social behavior. Demonstrating the wide-ranging implications of this research for clinical practice, the book will interest practitioners in clinical psychology, psychiatry, and developmental psychology. In addition, Self-Conscious Emotions will benefit professionals in social psychology, sociology, and anthropology, and will serve as useful text for courses in the psychology of emotion, personality and emotion, and cultural psychology.

Whereas Freud himself viewed conscience as one of the functions of the superego, in The Still Small Voice: Psychoanalytic Reflections on Guilt and Conscience, the author argues that superego and conscience are distinct mental functions and that, therefore, a fourth mental structure, the conscience, needs to be added to the psychoanalytic structural theory of the mind. He claims that while both conscience and superego originate in the so-called pre-oedipal phase of infant and child development they are comprised of contrasting and often conflicting identifications. The primary object, still most often the mother, is inevitably experienced as, on the one hand, nurturing and soothing and, on the other, as frustrating and persecuting. Conscience is formed in identification with the nurturer; the superego in identification with the aggressor. There is a principle of reciprocity at work in the human psyche: for love received one seeks to return love; for hate, hate (the talion law).

Learn how to leave guilt behind for good! Life coach Valorie Burton teaches you a simple yet profound method that will free you from the “false guilt” that is so common among busy women today. Even women who feel fulfilled often struggle to meet the demands of modern life. Both working and stay-at-home moms agree that the expectations of women have risen dramatically in recent decades. As a result, many women overcompensate and over-apologize while the guilt dampens the joy of motherhood, relationships, and professional accomplishments. Let Go of the Guilt helps you peel back the layers of emotional, cultural, and spiritual expectations that make it difficult to navigate your multiple roles, dreams, and daily demands on your life. Through her signature self-coaching process, powerful questions, and practical research, Valorie Burton shows you how to: Recognize and overcome the five thought patterns of guilt Break the surprising habit that tempts you to subconsciously choose guilt over joy, Stop guilt from sneaking its way into your everyday decisions and interactions, Flip those guilt trips so you can keep others from manipulating you, and Stop setting yourself up for stress, anxiety, and obligation, and instead set yourself for a life of joy and freedom Valorie’s journaling questions and research-based process will shift your perspective, give you clarity and courage, and equip you with a plan of action to let go of the guilt for good.

Highly qualified author: Carrell is a registered psychiatric nurse, relationship coach, therapist, and former university campus chaplain Includes a prescriptive five-step plan for freeing readers from all types of guilt, whether it’s familyrelated, religious, or self-imposed

Philosophical ethics consists in the human endeavour to answer rationally the fundamental question of how we should live. The Oxford Handbook of the History of Ethics explores the history of philosophical ethics in the western tradition from Homer until the present day. It provides a broad overview of the views of many of the main thinkers, schools, and periods, and includes in addition essays on topics such as autonomy and impartiality. The authors are international leaders in their field, and use their expertise and specialist knowledge to illuminate the relevance of their work to discussions in contemporary ethics. The essays are specially written for this volume, and in each case introduce the reader to the main lines of interpretation and criticism that have arisen in the professional history of philosophy over the past two or three decades.