Clarifying the experience of shame: the role of attachment style, gender, and investment in relatedness

Two aspects of Helen Block Lewis’ theory of shame were investigated in a questionnaire study of 204 college undergraduates: (a) the relationship of attachment style and shame; and (b) the potential mediating effects of investment in relatedness on gender differences in shame. As predicted, secure attachment was negatively associated with shame while preoccupied and fearful attachment were positively correlated. Contrary to expectations, dismissing attachment style was unrelated to shame. Significant gender differences were found in shame scores, with women reporting higher levels than men. However, these gender differences disappeared when controlling for the mediating effects of investment in relatedness. These results provided further support for Lewis’ conceptualization of shame.