[Trait guilt discriminate between anthropophobic tendency and social anxiety in adolescents]

This study examined the role of trait guilt in discriminating between anthropophobic tendency and social anxiety. 212 University and technical college students (103 males and 109 females) were administered a questionnaire with a trait guilt scale, an anthropophobic tendency scale, and a social anxiety scale. Trait guilt showed a positive correlation with anthropophobic tendency when the influence of social anxiety was controlled. When the influence of Anthropophobic tendency was controlled, trait guilt did not correlate as highly with social anxiety. These results were discussed related to cultural views of the self. Japanese culture is a "shame culture" because interdependent view of the self (seeing themselves as essentially connected with others) is dominant. People worry about appearances and how others see them, and are ashamed of their own deficiency or negative side, which leads to a sense of betrayal of others and thus guilt becomes a prominent trait.