| This study explored the similarities and differences between the cross-cultural experiences of shame and guilt in American and Chinese cultures. The manners in which shame and guilt are experienced by American and Chinese college students were analyzed within the framework of categorized and coded themes and categories. The themes and categories were created using an open coding procedure (Urquhart, 2000), and were utilized in a cross-cultural comparison of shame and guilt. Findings suggest shame is more closely related to the Chinese culture, and guilt is more closely related to the American culture. Results also indicate that similar scenarios experienced in different cultures can evoke dissimilar emotional responses. Limitations and implications of this study, as well as directions for future research are discussed. |
