Pets And People Both Have Similar Expressions That Show Guilt

We all a know a guilty face when we see one! How do you feel about guilt? An on-line article from ABC news says guilt is good "...many people regard guilt as an unnecessary, even harmful, emotion. Self-help authors have made careers offering advice on guilt-free living. But now psychologists argue that guilt has gotten a bum rap... psychologists like Suffolk University professor Jane Bybee say, Guilt is useful, because it gets people to regret the wrong they do, and correct it......as parents, we want our kids to feel guilt ... because guilt, say the experts, makes you less inclined to cheat, steal, or do drugs. Research shows kids who have a little guilt are better citizens. They're getting better grades in school, engaging in more volunteer work, they're less prone to racist attitudes"

Now new research out of the University of Chicago backs that up and found that when it comes to predicting who is most likely to act trustworthy, the most important factor is their level of guilt.

The scientists found "guilt-proneness" is the strongest predictor of how trustworthy that person is-- more so than a variety of other personality traits including openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and more.

Those who rank high in guilt-proneness feel a greater sense of interpersonal responsibility when they are entrusted, and as such are less likely to exploit the trust others placed in them. Study co-author Emma Levine adds, "Our research suggests that if you want your employees to be worthy of trust, make sure they feel personally responsible for their behavior and that they expect to feel guilty about wrongdoing."

Categories: Science

Guilt Is Mankind’s Great Regulator