REVIEW article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Human Developmental Psychology
Shame and Development of Self: A Relational, Cognitive, and Linguistic Perspective
Provisionally accepted
- 1University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- 2Universitas Mercatorum, Rome, Italy
- 3University of Bradford Department of Psychology, Bradford, United Kingdom
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Shame is a pivotal component in the development of sociomoral cognition, emerging at the intersection of self-awareness, social evaluation and internalized norms. Its emergence corresponds with significant developmental milestones, including the formation of attachment, the acquisition of language, and the development of Theory of Mind. Collectively, these factors provide a framework for the evolution of the sense of self. As children begin to represent themselves through the perspectives of others, shame functions as a regulatory mechanism, reinforcing social coherence and moral alignment. This review integrates findings from developmental psychology, cognitive neuroscience and cultural theory in order to elucidate the dual structure of shame: self-referential yet socially mediated. From a multi-faceted perspective, the article presents shame not simply as an emotion but as a dynamic process through which individuals navigate, monitor, and shape their moral identity within relational and cultural contexts.
Keywords: Attachment, developmental psychology, language acquisition, Narrative, Self-conscious emotions, Shame, Sociomoral development, Storytelling
Received: 11 Aug 2025; Accepted: 12 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Saccardo, Grecucci, Messina, Lesk and Franchin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Laura Franchin
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