Guilt and Shame in Chinese Culture: A Cross-cultural Framework from the Perspective of Morality and Identity

• Published in: Journal for the theory of social behaviour Vol. 33; no. 2; pp. 127 - 144
• Main Authors: Bedford, Olwen, Hwang, Kwang-Kuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2003; Blackwell
• Subjects: China; Cross-cultural analysis; Crosscultural Differences; Cultural aspects; Cultural Values; East and West; Guilt; Honour and shame; Identity; Morality; Morals; Peoples Republic of China; Philosophy; Philosophy of culture. Philosophical anthropology; Shame; Social Identity; Society; Sociology; China; West; Discrimination; Morality; Guilt; Identity; Shame; Culture
• ISSN: 0021-8308; 1468-5914
• DOI: 10.1111/1468-5914.00210

Olwen Bedford and Kwang‐Kuo Hwang, Guilt and Shame in Chinese Culture: A Cross‐cultural Framework from the Perspective of Morality and Identity, pp. 127–144. This article formulates a cross‐cultural framework for understanding guilt and shame based on a conceptualization of identity and morality in Western and Confucian cultures. First, identity is examined in each culture, and then the relation between identity and morality illuminated. The role of guilt and shame in upholding the boundaries of identity and enforcing the constraints of morality is then discussed from the perspective of each culture. The developed framework is then applied the emotions of guilt and shame in Chinese culture drawing on previous field research. Implications for future research are discussed.