The relationship of gender role stress to shame-proneness and guilt-proneness

This study investigated the relationships between gender role variables and proneness to shame and guilt. Theoretical and clinical literature has suggested that individuals who perceive themselves as deviating from gender role norms are more prone to shame but not guilt. Male (n = 89) and female (n = 118) undergraduates completed the Test of Self-Conscious Affect, a measure of shame-proneness and guilt-proneness, the Masculine Gender Role Stress scale (MGRS), a measure of stress in situations involving perceived deviance from masculine role norms, and the Feminine Gender Role Stress scale (FGRS), which taps stress in situations involving deviance from feminine roles.; Gender comparisons revealed that women reported higher levels of shame-proneness and guilt-proneness than men. Correlations revealed that shame-proneness, but not guilt-proneness, was associated with gender role stress for participants' own gender. Specifically, MGRS in men and FGRS in women were associated with proneness to shame. Thus, men's stress around deviating from masculine norms, and women's stress around deviating from feminine norms, were associated with a shame-prone style. Guilt-proneness was unrelated to MGRS in men and to FGRS in women. The relationships between shame- and guilt-proneness and gender role stress for the other gender role were also examined. MGRS in women and FGRS in men were associated with both shame-proneness and guilt-proneness.; The relationships between gender role stress factors and shame- and guilt-proneness were explored. For both men and women, shame-proneness was associated with stress about not measuring up in terms of physical attractiveness or intellect. For women, shame-proneness was also associated with stress in situations calling for assertiveness or dealing with tender emotions. Several gender role variables were found to contribute to guilt-proneness. For men, 3 factors--physical inadequacy, emotional detachment, and a lack of stress when subordinate to women--predicted guilt-proneness. For women, 2 factors--physical unattractiveness and physical inadequacy--predicted proneness to guilt. Implications for theory, research, and clinical practice were discussed.