Interpreting Instances of Shame from an Evolutionary Perspective: The Pain Analogy

Abstract

From a basic emotions perspective, shame can be viewed as a family of emotions (e.g., embarrassment, humiliation, guilt), which share a common antecedent—devaluation. As an evolutionary adaptation, shame can be either adaptive or maladaptive, depending on context and one’s response. Findings on the affective neuroscience of social pain suggest the physical pain system was co-opted for adaptive social functions. Thus, physical pain is an appropriate analogy for understanding shame, the two sharing many features. Both are elicited by injury; with shame the injury is to a relationship or status. Both direct attention to the injury and make us care. Both motivate immediate and future behavior. We may lash out or cease what we are doing to end the pain, make attempts to repair reputational damage, or hide the source of shame. Both motivate attempts to avoid reoccurrence of the pain in the future. One may improve to avoid performance-based shame, or learn to avoid behaviors that elicit shame, just as one avoids cuts. Finally, both are communicated via physical expressions that often elicit empathy or forgiveness. Clients understand the functions of physical pain and how it protects us. Using the shame-pain analogy helps clients view shame in an adaptive light and helps them distinguish adaptive from maladaptive responses.