Self-conscious emotions are the feelings we have when we’re around other people and we think they’re judging us (Sabiston, 2019). These emotions happen because we have certain standards we use to judge ourselves and others. They’re important because they help us follow social rules, especially when we’re doing things like playing sports or exercising. The most common self-conscious emotions are shame, guilt, and pride.
Shame is when we feel really bad about ourselves because we didn’t meet the standards we or others set (Sabiston, 2019). It makes us think we’re not good enough (like thinking we’re bad at sports).
Guilt is a negative feeling when we regret something we did wrong (like not following our exercise plan and gaining weight) (Sabiston, 2019). When we feel guilty, we often think a lot about what we did wrong and how we can change it. Guilt can actually be good because it helps us make things right and can be linked to doing healthy things.
Pride is a good feeling we have when we do something well or have positive qualities (like exercising and looking fit) (Sabiston, 2019).There are two types of pride: hubristic and authentic pride. Hubristic pride makes us feel like we’re better than others (like thinking we have an amazing body). Authentic pride comes from achieving goals and making efforts (like scoring a goal after practicing a lot). It’s tied to specific accomplishments and efforts, such as losing weight after dieting or doing well in a sports competition.
In the context of sports, there is an interest in studying how we feel about our physical appearance and fitness. Researchers want to understand the emotions tied to how our bodies look and what they can do (Sabiston, 2019). They also study other self-conscious emotions like embarrassment (when we feel awkward because we did something socially unacceptable) and envy (when we want something someone else has, like a skill or trait).
Sabiston, C. M. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.