Shame and guilt, while the focus of attention among scholars and clinicians for generations, have only recently been subjected to systematic empirical scrutiny. This volume reports on the growing body of knowledge on these key self-conscious emotions, integrating findings from the authors' original research program with other data emerging from social, clinical, personality, and developmental psychology. Writing in an engaging, accessible style, June Price Tangney and Ronda L. Dearing offer a coherent new scientific perspective on shame and guilt. Compelling evidence is presented to demonstrate that these universally experienced affective phenomena have significant--and surprisingly disparate--implications for many aspects of human functioning, with particular relevance for interpersonal relationships.