Guilt Test
Forgetting to pay back borrowed money would leave me feeling awful.
Sharing a friend's secret would weigh on my conscience, even if they never discovered it.
I'd experience genuine distress if a colleague took the fall for my workplace error.
Watching someone get bullied without intervening would fill me with sorrow.
Telling lies doesn't usually bother me much.
Damaging a borrowed scarf would make me feel guilty, even after buying a new one.
Saying sorry doesn't erase the regret I feel about my mistakes.
Encountering someone without a home stirs up feelings of guilt in me.
Breaking a promise is something I'd definitely regret.
Getting away with breaking the law wouldn't trouble me at all.
Accidentally causing a stranger to trip would make me feel terrible.
I'd feel guilty about lying, even if it was to protect someone.
Benefiting from another person's bad luck rarely makes me feel bad.
Hurting a loved one's feelings always brings me deep remorse.
I don't feel bad about slacking off at work while my coworkers pick up the slack.
Surviving an accident where others were seriously injured would devastate me.
Letting down a close friend would fill me with shame.
I'm perfectly fine with not meeting my coworkers' expectations most of the time.
My own needs come before anyone else's.
Breaking a commitment would leave me feeling pretty bad about it.
20 questions remaining
Things to Know
- Most people have a moral code that they follow. If they break it, they may feel bad about themselves, take responsibility for what they did wrong, and fix the problem.
- People who don't feel guilty at all might have Machiavellianism, narcissism, or psychopathy, which are all part of the Dark Triad. They generally don't feel as much empathy or guilt.
- On the other hand, being prone to guilt is linked to mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Guilt can lead to negative thoughts and rumination about things you did wrong in the past.
- Kids start to feel guilty when they are about 2 or 3 years old. They start to learn that what they do can affect the people around them at this age. You might get a better idea of what's going on around age 4.
- Individuals who are diligent and those who exhibit guilt tendencies both partake in self-regulatory behavior. But if you are prone to guilt, you will try to avoid doing things that make you feel guilty or to make up for them when you do.
- The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology published findings indicating that guilt-proneness serves as a significant predictor of trustworthiness, potentially influenced by an individual's sense of responsibility.
Turn It Up a Notch
Keep being responsible.
This will give you a reason to change your behavior if you need to.
If you need to, make amends:
- A sincere apology can help fix the damage you may have done.
Being kind to yourself:
- Keep being nice to yourself. Self-flagellation doesn't help.
