Personality Correlates of the Mosher Guilt Scales

Abstract

Examined the relationship between sex guilt, hostility guilt, and morality-conscience guilt, and more traditional concepts in personality, to extend the construct validational work of the Mosher Guilt Scales. This was achieved by correlating the scores of the three guilt subscales with the 15 manifest needs of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule. The results indicate that while there was some overlap between the guilt scores and the manifest needs, the association was usually a function of theoretically consistent relationships rather than duality of constructs. These findings, and the literature review of the Mosher Guilt Scales, are interpreted as supporting the continued use of the three guilt subscales as well as suggesting that guilt is a personality variable of considerable theoretical significance.