Hoffman's virtual guilt theory: the progress of guilt study in psychological field
- VernacularTitle:霍夫曼虚拟内疚理论:内疚研究的心理学进展
- Author:
Jianzhong QIAO
;
Bei WANG
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research
2005;9(40):180-182
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To introduce the progress of the study on guilt in psychology and to evaluate its theoretical implications.DATA SOURCE: Search on computer for the related literature on Hoffman and guilt, empathy moral published from January 1980 to December 2003 using psychological database, the key words being "Hoffman, guilt,empathy, moral" restricting the language of the articles to English.STUDY SELECTION: Among the retrieved articles, choose Hoffman's works and articles, and articles by other psychologists whose works touch on articles on Hoffman guilt or virtual guilt study and exclude articles about repeated research.DATA EXTRACTION: Mter refining the selected articles focusing on guilt and virtual guilt, 9 works and articles on Hoffman's study on virtual guilt were gathered.DATA SYNTHESIS: The 9 works include 1 general statement and 8 treatises of which I treatise explains the implication and categorization of virtual guilt, 1 general statement and 3 treatises explain the mechanics that result in virtual guilt, 5 treatises analyze factors that affect virtual guilt,and 1 treatise evaluates the Hoffman's works, theoretical significance.CONCLUSION: Hoffman's theory believes that virtual guilt is that people self-incriminate due to the guilt they feel as if they committed wrongdoing or indirectly hurt others although they in fact have not done anything hurtful or their deeds have not violated publicly held social moral disciplines. Virtual guilt is divided into four categories: relationship guilt,responsibility guilt, developmental guilt and survivor guilt. He also believes that virtual guilt is produced through the combination of empathetic grief and cognitive ascription, mainly affected by previous experience, empathyrelated capacity, level of morality and degree of relationship. Hoffman's study of virtual guilt not only expands the field of guilt study and enriches the content of guilt study but also reveals from a new angle the self-adaptive and self-educational role that moral sentiments play in individual moral development.
