The DOI matches its Crossref record.
The evolution of social attractiveness and its role in shame, humiliation, guilt and therapy
Abstract
This paper suggests that humans have innate needs to be seen as attractive to others. These needs form the basis for shame and mediate evaluations of social standing (status), social acceptance and social bonds. Shame and humiliation are associated with attacks on, and losses of, social attractiveness. The internal experiences of shame are derived from submissive strategies where one seeks to signal to others awareness of loss of social standing and limit possible damage. However, it is suggested that shame and humiliation differ from each other in a number of ways. For example, in shame the focus is on the self, while in humiliation the focus is on the harm done by others. Variations in the defensive strategies of shame and humiliation (e.g. avoidance, escape versus aggression and revenge) can pose particularly difficult problems in therapy. A focus on the role of social attractiveness in shame also allows for important distinctions to be drawn between shame and guilt.
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In the citing paper
“Shame is theorized to have evolved to prevent humans from behaving in ways that have a high negative social cost and could result in social devaluation by others and loss of social rank (e.g., cheating, stealing) (89, 90).”
In the citing paper
“Experiences of being “disgraced, devalued, demoted, dishonored, degraded, discredited, humiliated, ridiculed, shunned, ostracized, or scorned” (Gilbert, 1997, p. 113) are signalled to us through the emotion of shame; the feeling there is something flawed, bad or worthless about us (Gilbert, 1989).”
From Is Shame Hallucinogenic? (2017) · cites this paper as Gilbert, 1997
In the citing paper
“Furthermore, not only is shame itself a complex mix of cognition and affect (Gilbert, 1997)”
From Is Shame Hallucinogenic? (2017) · cites this paper as Gilbert, 1997
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Dickerson, S. S., & Kemeny, M. E. (2004) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.130.3.355 · Cited by 5,881
“The social self reflects one’s social value, esteem, and status and is largely based on others’ perceptions of one’s worth (de Waal, 1989; Gilbert, 1997).”
BackgroundInfluentialGilbert, P., & Procter, S. (2006) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.507 · Cited by 1,822
“Compassionate mind training (CMT) evolved from working with high shame and selfcritical people (Gilbert, 1992, 1997, 2000; Gilbert & Irons, 2005).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSelf-citationTARGET ARTICLE: "Putting the Self Into Self-Conscious Emotions: A Theoretical Model"
Tracy, J. L., & Robins, R. W. (2004) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1502_01 · Cited by 1,462
“Others have emphasized that humiliation cannot occur in absence of a humiliating other; that, unlike shame, it is dependent on a dyadic relationship (e.g., Gilbert, 1997; Miller, 1988).”
Schmidt, U. H., & Treasure, J. L. (2006) · British Journal of Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1348/014466505x53902 · Cited by 963
When the social self is threatened: shame, physiology, and health
Dickerson, S. S., Gruenewald, T. L., & Kemeny, M. E. (2004) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2004.00295.x · Cited by 732
“However, following Gilbert (1997), we view shame as a prototypical emotion elicited under these specific forms of social threat.”
BackgroundInfluential
Metadata
- Authors
- Gilbert, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Derby (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Gilbert, Paul
- ORCID
- Gilbert, Paul
- Venue
- British Journal of Medical Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1997-06
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 113-147
- ISSN
- 0007-1129 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1981058655
- Cited by
- 539
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 41 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 9.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Medical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Forgiveness and Related Behaviors
- Keywords
- social attractiveness, shame, humiliation, guilt, social status, social acceptance, social bonds, defense strategy, avoidance, psychotherapy, evolutionary psychology of emotion
- MeSH terms
- Attention, Mental Disorders, Guilt, Humans, Psychological Theory, Shame, Social Desirability
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