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The relation between value priorities and proneness to guilt, shame, and empathy

Motivation and Emotion volume 32, pages 69–80 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

The relations of value priorities (the Schwartz Value Survey) to guilt, shame (Tangney’s Test of Self-Conscious Affect) and empathy (Davis’ Interpersonal Reactivity Index) were examined in two samples, one of 15–19-year-old secondary school students (N = 207), and the other of military conscripts (N = 503). As hypothesized, guilt-proneness was, in both samples, positively related to valuing universalism, benevolence, tradition, and conformity, and negatively related to valuing power, hedonism, stimulation, and self-direction. The results for empathic concern and perspective-taking were similar, but their relation to the openness–conservation value dimension was weaker. Shame and personal distress were weakly related to values, suggesting that voluntary control is less important for these tendencies. In general, self-transcendence and conservation values seem compatible with prosocial tendencies, whereas self-enhancement and openness do not.

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Acknowledgment

This study was financially supported by the Academy of Finland, grant number 210618.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Psychology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 54, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Mia Silfver & Klaus Helkama

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Jan-Erik Lönnqvist & Markku Verkasalo

Authors
  1. Mia Silfver
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  2. Klaus Helkama
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  3. Jan-Erik Lönnqvist
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  4. Markku Verkasalo
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Correspondence to Mia Silfver.

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Silfver, M., Helkama, K., Lönnqvist, JE. et al. The relation between value priorities and proneness to guilt, shame, and empathy. Motiv Emot 32, 69–80 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-008-9084-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-008-9084-2

Keywords

  • Values
  • Guilt
  • Shame
  • Empathy