Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-23-2023
Abstract
Individuals who experience momentary shame experiences may attribute a sense of wrongdoing to their identity. Witnessing one's violation of social mores may promote withdrawal, rumination, and/or aggression, which may restrict cognitive processes that affect typical executive function. In particular, task initiation, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility were selected when measuring levels of executive dysfunction. 10 participants were asked to complete shame and executive function pre-screeners, a shame- or neutral-affective writing task, and a real-time executive function measure. Results suggest that those who self-reported higher levels of shame proneness and underwent a shame-affective stimulus may have displayed improved inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Additionally, participants who self-reported heightened levels of self-conscious emotion may have shown improved cognitive flexibility and inhibition during an executive performance task.
Recommended Citation
Bryan, Mary M., "Momentary Shame & Executive Function: Negative Self-Attribution as a Precursor to Performance Error" (2023). Master's Theses & Other Graduate Student Works. 1.
https://digitalcollections.lipscomb.edu/psy_graduate/1