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Guilt Test

20 Questions
3 Minutes

How guilty do you feel?

While guilt is a negative emotion, it can motivate us to do better and be prosocial. A breach in one’s moral code may lead to self-evaluation, remorse, and course correction in the form of making amends or rectifying a situation. See where you fall on this guilt-proneness scale.

Using the key below, answer the questions based on how strongly you agree or disagree with the statement.

Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Strongly Agree
Agree
1. I would feel terrible if I someone loaned me money and I forgot to repay them.
Disagree
Agree
2. If I disclosed a friend’s secret, I’d feel remorse even though she wouldn’t find out.
Disagree
Agree
3. If I made a mistake at work and my co-worker was blamed, I’d feel bad.
Disagree
Agree
4. If I remained silent after witnessing a bully victimizing another person, I’d feel sorry.
Disagree
Agree
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5. I rarely feel badly about lying.
Disagree
Agree
6. If I ripped a hole in the scarf my friend lent me, I’d feel guilty even though I purchased a replacement.
Disagree
Agree
7. Even when I apologize after making a mistake, I still feel regret over my wrongdoing.
Disagree
Agree
8. I feel guilty when I see a homeless person.
Disagree
Agree
9. I’d regret it if I broke a promise.
Disagree
Agree
10. I’d feel fine if I broke the law and got away with it.
Disagree
Agree
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11. If I accidentally tripped a stranger, I’d feel terrible.
Disagree
Agree
12. I’d feel guilty if I had to lie to protect someone.
Disagree
Agree
13. I rarely feel bad when I profit from another person’s misfortune.
Disagree
Agree
14. If I hurt my loved one’s feelings, I’d always feel remorseful.
Disagree
Agree
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15. I feel fine when I slack off at work, letting coworkers bear the burden.
Disagree
Agree
16. I’d feel terrible if I survived an accident in which others were badly hurt.
Disagree
Agree
17. If I let a close friend down, I’d feel shame.
Disagree
Agree
18. I’m fine with rarely meeting my co-workers’ expectations.
Disagree
Agree
19. I prioritize my own needs over the needs of others.
Disagree
Agree
20. If I broke a commitment, I’d feel badly about it.
Disagree
Agree
Psychology Today's online self-tests are intended for informational purposes only and are not diagnostic tools. Psychology Today does not capture or store personally identifiable information, and your identity cannot be determined from your responses. Aggregated self-test responses are stored to improve the tests and provide performance comparisons. Psychology Today uses third party cookies such as Google Analytics to collect visitor data on this page without sharing any personal data, ensuring your identity cannot be determined from your visit. There are no advertising partners included on these self-test pages. If you wish to remove cookies from this site or opt out of data sharing, please click 'Do not share or sell my personal information' below. For a reliable medical diagnosis, please consult a professional.

Who Is This Test For?

This test is for anyone who wants to examine their level of guilt or guilt-proneness. It’s designed for adults and is not intended to be prescriptive.

We value your privacy - see how we protect the info you provide when you take this test.

How to Get Help

You can also seek the help of a health professional; find one near you in the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

Sources

Psychometric Evaluation of the Guilt and Shame Experience Scale (GSES) on a Representative Adolescent Sample: A Low Differentiation between Guilt and Shame. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. K. Malinakova.

What do the TOSCA guilt and shame scales really measure: Affect or action? Personality and Individual Differences. R. Giner-Sorolla

Conceptual and methodological issues in the assessment of shame and guilt. Behaviour Research and Therapy. J. Price Tangney

Who is trustworthy? Predicting trustworthy intentions and behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. E.E. Levine et al.

Introducing the GASP scale: A new measure of guilt and shame proneness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. T.R. Cohen

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