No description available.

Guilt appeals are used to try to influence consumer behavior, with literature defining three kinds – existential, anticipatory, and reactive guilt. Anticipatory and reactive guilt appeals have never been individually studied. The purpose of this study is hence to explain the relationship between anticipatory guilt and reactive guilt, respectively, inferences of manipulative intent, and consumers’ attitude toward a brand. To test this, an online questionnaire was used, followed by linear regression and moderation analyses. The results show a positive relationship between both anticipatory guilt and attitude and between reactive guilt and attitude. Inferences of manipulative intent do not moderate either relationship. Keywords Guilt appeal, anticipatory guilt, reactive guilt, inferences of manipulative intent, consumer brand attitudes

published_or_final_version / Psychology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between length of punishment and the two common groupings of types of punishment. Further, the influence of length of punishment on guilt responsivity will be examined.

Young adults from a divorced home background (N = 125) were compared with a control group matched by sex and age (N = 125) on the scores obtained from the IPAT Anxiety Scale and the Mosher Incomplete Sentences Test.

Although scholars have explored the role of emotions, specifically White guilt and shame, in combating racism, there is a dearth of research available regarding differences between White guilt and shame, and measures available that independently assess these emotions in relation to White racism. The purpose of this study was to test a model of White Guilt and White shame as distinct forms of racial affect that serve to promote anti-racism (N=881). The White Guilt and White Shame model, tested using structural equation modeling, hypothesized that combined aspects of White guilt and White shame proneness, collective White guilt (e.g., group based culpability) and motivation processes to respond without racism (e.g., internal, external) would serve to challenge the development of colorblindness and fear of people of color, while fostering greater empathy and willingness to combat racism. Although the proposed hypotheses were moderately supported, and an overall acceptable model fit was found, two modifications were made to White Shame within the original proposed model in accordance with theory and empirical findings. Results from this study indicated that White guilt proneness, collective White guilt, and internal motivation to respond without racism loaded on the factor White Guilt, while White shame proneness, collective White guilt, and external motivation to respond without prejudice loaded on the factor White shame. Furthermore, results also provided sufficient evidence that White Guilt and White Shame have a positive effect on reducing colorblindness and promoting racial empathy, rather than fear. Limitations, clinical implications, and further directions of research are discussed.

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Appraisal theories of emotion assert that guilt arises from the evaluations one ill makes about one's behavior. Perpetrators experience guilt when they view themselves as responsible for harm caused to their victims. Interpersonal theories of emotion hold that guilt is a function of relational factors, including the need to repair relationships. Theorists argue that guilty feelings often arise in spite of appraisals, and that perpetrators feel guilty because of a need to communicate reconciliatory messages to their victims. These two views of guilt are generally seen as mutually exclusive. This study proposed integrating both views of guilt into a single, interactive theory of guilt that includes both appraisals and interpersonal concerns and that asserts that guilt varies as a function of the appraisals one makes about one's own and others' behavior, the nature of the relationship between perpetrators and victims, the perspective from which one views events, and the passage of time. The main question asked was: when taking into account these factors, is guilt better accounted for by an appraisal, interpersonal , or the newly proposed integrative view of guilt? One-hundred forty-seven male and 168 female university students were presented with scenarios depicting the interaction of two people who were friends or enemies and were directed to adopt the perspective of perpetrators, victims, or were not given instructions to adopt a perspective. In each scenario, a perpetrator acted to inflict harm that was either unintentional or angrily intended. Participants then rated perpetrators' responsibility appraisals, emotional responses, and forgiveness needs. Additionally, participants were asked to rate how responsible perpetrators believed their victims believed them to be. Correlational analyses and AN OVA were used to test the effects of the factors in the proposed model on ratings of guilt. Although partial support was found for both the appraisal view and the interpersonal view of guilt, results provided the strongest support for the interactive view of guilt. Discussion focused on the role of appraisals, relational factors, perspective, and time in guilty feelings and the implications of these findings for further research.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a significantly impairing anxiety disorder for which the most successful treatment, cognitive behaviour therapy, has 50-60% success rates, taking into account treatment refusals and dropout rates (Fisher & Wells, 2005). Thus, factors that contribute to the persistence of OCD and interfere with treatment are likely being overlooked. Indeed, Mancini and Gangemi (2004) have proposed that individuals with OCD have greater fear of guilt than others; that is, they dread being judged as guilty for not having done everything in their power to prevent some negative outcome. This fear of guilt fuels obsessions and compulsions as individuals attempt to prevent, avoid, or neutralise the feared guilt. However, few studies have explored fear of guilt in OCD, and no scales exist to measure this construct. The role of fear of guilt in OCD was therefore examined across two studies. Study 1 explored the core features of fear of guilt in OCD, as well as the validity and reliability of the Fear of Guilt Scale (FOGS), a measure developed specifically to assess levels of trait fear of guilt in OCD. Results indicate that the FOGS is a valid and reliable, two-factor measure, and greater FOGS scores significantly predict more severe OCD symptoms among nonclinical participants. Study 2 aimed to determine whether fear of guilt evokes caution and feelings of doubt during the decision-making process, thereby making it more difficult to know when to stop and explaining perseveratory behaviour, such as compulsions in OCD. Findings suggest that greater fear of guilt does not predict more time taken or information needed to make decisions, but higher fear of guilt predicts feelings of uncertainty when deliberating, as indicated by ratings of greater difficulty making decisions, lower confidence in having made the right decisions, and less satisfaction with decisions made. Implications of these findings and the role that fear of guilt may play in the development and persistence of OCD are discussed.