Developmental Perspectives on Shame

In this article the author discusses developmental perspectives on shame. To create a context, the paper begins with examples of the close connection of the emotion of shame and the body, the issue of the "social emotions," and culture as an influencer of shameful experience. The bulk of the paper is devoted to a discussion of the developmental origins of emotions, particularly shame, in the child-caregiver relationship beginning in infancy and elaborated and modified over time. A clinical example of a child analytic case is given to illustrate some of the author's points.