The effects of shame on prosocial behavior: A systematic review and three-level meta-analysis

Abstract

: Shame is a typical moral emotion, and its effects on prosocial behavior have been inconsistent in previous studies. In this study, a three-level meta-analysis technique was used for the first time to integrate relevant empirical studies to examine the effects of shame on prosocial behavior and the moderating variables in the relationship. Through literature search and screening, a total of 26 literatures with 85 effect sizes were included, and the total sample size was 5823 participants. The main effect test found that the shame group showed more prosocial behavior than the control group, which means shame can promote the generation of prosocial behavior. The